Toronto FC's new conundrum: Life without Giovinco

Into every TFC season a little rain must fall.

At least it does seem that way for a Toronto FC that a week ago took over first place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference for the latest time in its 10-year history, but now faces a month without talisman Sebastian Giovinco.

The reigning MLS MVP was bundled down by Montreal defender Laurent Ciman and limped off the BMO Field pitch a little over an hour into Saturday night's 401 Derby renewal. A club release said that quadricep and adductor strains will keep Giovinco out for four weeks, which would mean that TFC will be missing their star attraction for at least three of their seven remaining regular-season games.

It's the first significant injury time for Giovinco since he came to Toronto from Juventus at the start of last season, during which he missed but one match, a 2-1 loss at Seattle. Giovinco's 22-goal, 16-assist haul last season was unprecedented in MLS history, but as Elias Sports Bureau notes, he's picked up from there and is on a pace this year to set another standard.

Though TFC has weathered the absence of a number of key regulars this season, this kind of hole is hard to fill. For now, U.S. internationals Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley, and the likes of Canadian international Tosaint Ricketts and young Jordan Hamilton will have to shoulder the scoring load (and indeed the club's bench depth will be tested, too, with Jay Chapman and Ashtone Morgan also facing time on the sideline due to injury).

At least in one sense the timeframe here doesn't appear quite so dire. Four of their next five games are at their BMO Field home, and the overriding aim will be to have Giovinco back at full strength for TFC's final two matches before playoff season begins, at Montreal Oct. 16 and home to Chicago to close out the regular season Oct. 23.