Photo by Bill Steicher / USA Today Sports

By ADAM TROXTELL

Toronto FC’s second straight win came in a seemingly relaxed manner.

It was the Philadelphia Union who did most of the running with the ball as TFC left PPL Park with a 1-0 victory. Possession never produced the desired result for the Union, who have just one win in their last five outings against Eastern Conference opposition.

Sebastian Giovinco secured the win for TFC with a free kick in the 34th minute. The Italian blasted a shot from well outside the 18-yard box and past a flailing John McCarthy for the winner.

Toronto used its smaller share of possession to blast three shots on target, opting for efficiency as the Union kept the visitors off of the ball for the majority of the afternoon. But that only produced a Cristian Maidana strike that rattled the cross bar and a Fernando Aristeguieta headed goal that was ruled out for offside.

The Union set out to control the tempo, holding 65 percent of possession to try and keep TFC’s attacking force off of the ball. It didn’t translate into much on the other end, however, something that became more important with about 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

When TFC did get the ball, it was straight to goal. This created a free kick opportunity for  Giovinco from about 30-yards, and he obliged with a knuckle-ball that sailed over the wall and inside the left post.

Giovinco was all about the long-distance efforts, attempting to chip McCarthy from just inside the attacking third in the 50th minute but placing the ball just over the bar. The Union offered little in return, save for a Maidana volley that rattled the crossbar in first-half stoppage time.

The Union thought they had an equalizer in the 78th minute. Aristeguieta dove to head an out-swinging free kick from the left into the net, but the assistant referee flagged for offside.

TFC seemed content to allow the Union possession, so long as a line of Red stood between the hosts and the goal. Four of the Union’s 10 shots were blocked as TFC looked more and more to the counter-attack as the minutes wound down.

Life doesn’t get any easier for the Union next Saturday in a road trip to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps. TFC swaps league play for a Canadian Championship encounter against the Montreal Impact on Wednesday, and the Houston Dynamo await on Sunday in MLS action.