Toronto FC

Toronto FC is a professional soccer club located in Toronto, Ontario  and the first Canadian team to participate in Major League Soccer. The club was founded in 2006 and was MLS' 13th team, joining the league in the 2007 season.

Toronto FC is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which operates the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, the AHL's Toronto Marlies, and the NBA's Toronto Raptors. TFC plays its home games at BMO Field, located in Exhibition Place along the Toronto lake shore.

Toronto FC's title sponsor, found on the front of their jersey and on most team merchandise, is the Bank of Montreal (BMO). TFC fans have helped make the club one of the MLS' most successful franchises off the pitch, having been profitable since its first year with regular sellouts and sold-out seasons tickets.

The club is the current Canadian Champion, winning the 2009 and 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship.

(Wikipedia)

More information: History ; Stats ; Players

Reds Relishing Champions League Role



TORONTO – Toronto FC  made an impressive start to their CONCACAF Champions League group-stage campaign on Tuesday night at BMO Field, shocking Mexican powerhouse Cruz Azul 2-1 on goals from Martin Saric and Mista.

Up against the two-time CONCACAF finalists from Mexico City, the Reds attacked early and often, with Saric returning from injury and putting the Mexico City club on its heels in just the third minute of play.

An initial header by Reds target man Mista was blocked by the Cruz Azul defense, but the ball fell to Saric, who made no mistake heading the ball past a surprised Cementeros backup goalkeeper Yosgart Gutierrez.

Toronto pressured the visitors early and often in the first half, and midfielder Dwayne DeRosario almost made it 2-0 in the ninth minute, whiffing a dangerous shot through the Cruz Azul goalmouth but wide of the net.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Villa missed tying the game for the visitors just two minutes later when his scorching 25-yard free kick was blasted just past goalkeeper Jon Conway’s left post.

A similar effort by Mista on a Toronto set piece also narrowly missed giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.

But then Mista finally converted in the 44th minute with a clinical finish from the top of the Cruz Azul penalty area.

The former Deportivo La Coruña target man collected a centering pass from defender Raivis Hscanovics and screamed a hard left-footed blast past a diving Gutierrez, who got his fingertips to the ball but couldn’t stop it from crossing the goal line.

Cruz Azul coach Enrique Meza made five changes to his starting lineup after his squad beat defending CONCACAF champions Pachuca last weekend. And it took the insertion of one of those regulars for la Máquina to gain some momentum back.

Argentine midfielder Christian Giménez entered the game at halftime for César Villaluz and quickly made his impact felt, forcing Conway to turn away a thunderous blast in the 54th minute.

Giménez finally converted a late consolation goal for the visitors in the 89th minute, banging a curving free kick over the Toronto wall off the left post, past Conway and into the goal.

With the victory, Toronto remain undefeated in all games played at BMO Field this season, extending their streak to 14 games including international play and exhibition games. The Reds return to league action on Saturday afternoon when they host Thierry Henry, Rafa Márquez and the New York Red Bulls.

Preki's men play their next Champions League Group A game on Aug. 24 when they travel to Panama City for a game against Árabe Unido.

Cruz Azul, meanwhile conceded their first-ever goals against MLS competition in Champions League play, having failed to give up a goal in previous encounters against Columbus and D.C. United.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/reds-relishing-champions-league-role

Nemogu virovati da ima navijaca ili simpatizera ovog kluba na Bureku, pa evo kad je vec napravljena tema smo da kazem da sam bio na utakmici (Toronto FC vs. Columbus Crew) kad sam bio u Torontu ima 2 godine. Sve oko utakmice je bilo super, zabava, dopusteni alkohol (samo sto je skup, 2 tocene od 0.5 je 30 dolara), sve je super organizirano, pale se dimne bombe ali u dogovoru s policijom, jedina pisma koja se piva "This is our house!!!" i tako.... Ima sam sidalo medu boljim mistima na stadionu (prvi red na katu, odmah kraj svecane loze), kraj mene su sidile dvije stare kineskinje i samo su pljeskale ka i svi ostali a onda sam se ja zadera iz petnih zila "Hajduk" a kad su me babe uplaseno pogledale reka sam im "I ma Hoologan from Croatia!" i samo su okrenilu glavu i vise me nisu pogledale.... hehehe   
Ka sta sam reka, sve je super osim nogometa koji se igra, moga bi reci da je u rangu s Hrvatskom ili Srpskom ligom, znaci nista specialno... ali jedno zanimljivo iskustvo je iza mene!
Evo i karta pa pogledajte kolike su cijene, a stadio je rasprodan priko godisinih preplata i vec imaju 10 tisuca ljudi na cekanju za kupnju preplata pa ce nadogradivati stadion.... sick

MLS je veoma slican po rangu Srbiji ( manji stadioni, manji broj publike )  ali je fora u tome sto se u MLS-u makar nesto radi na napretku lige dok se u Srbiji nesto veoma slabo na tome radi.

Isto tako MLS je dosta mladja liga. Osnovana je sredinom 90ih tako da se jos radi na napredku.

Toronto sam poceo da pratim otkako su usli u ligu jer su jedini kanadski klub koji igra u MLS-u pa volim da ih pratim 

manje ljudi je na stadionima, ali kad pogledas u zadnjih nekoliko godina i to se prominilo, npr. LA Galaxy prije beckhama je posjecivalo 5000 gledatelja a nakon sto je on dosao u klub  27000 koliki je kapacite stadiona, a to nije malo, pa tako toronto kad igra toronto doma uvik je pun stadion (22 tisuce)....
za koju godinu MLS liga ce biti daleko ispred nasih sa balkana jer to su jebeni amerikanci i oni tezu savrsenstvu u uvakom sportu pa tako i u nogometu....

A ko to brani Evropi da se i po evropi tezi dobrim utakmicama svugda

Nego .. ovde nije rec o MLS ligi nego o Torontu

Koji ti se igrac svidja ?

Fresh Injury Concerns



Toronto FC’s players returned to BMO Field on Wednesday as coach Preki assessed the fitness of his squad following Tuesday’s stunning CONCACAF Champions League win over Mexico’s Cruz Azul.

There are no new injury concerns for Preki, although he is still dealing with a number of absences as he begins to prepare the team for Saturday’s league match against the New York Red Bulls.

Defender Nick Garcia missed the match against Cruz Azul with a knee injury picked up in training ahead of the game and is rated as doubtful for the weekend.

Preki is waiting to see if Chad Barrett will be available to face the Red Bulls on Saturday. The forward left the defeat at New York last week with a tweaked hamstring and is yet to return to full training. He did some light running ahead of last night’s match and will be assessed over the next couple of days. Maicon Santos is expected to miss out again with the knee injury sustained in the win over Chivas USA on August 7.

Preki left goalkeeper Stefan Frei out of the squad for the Champions  League match to give the Swiss ‘keeper a rest. “I just decided to give Stefan Frei a break from action last night,” said Preki. “He has played in every single league game so far this season and it is good for him to get rest both physically and mentally. Jon Conway was pretty solid. He had a couple of shots to save and he was pretty good. There was nothing he could do about the goal we gave up.”

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/fresh-injury-concerns

A Sweet Victory For TFC



How sweet it is.

Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul in CONCACAF Champions League play has already been dubbed the best game in the four-year history of Toronto FC.

“It’s always great to win, especially (against) an opponent like Cruz Azul,” said Director of Soccer Mo Johnston. “It was big for the team, for the league. I felt for the whole 90 minutes, we were terrific.”

“It’s a benchmark game, not only for the franchise but for the MLS as a whole. They want us to compete, to win games, and we showed we could do that. It’s a serious benchmark for the league and for Toronto FC.”

As they prepare for Saturday’s home gig with New York, the Reds have the look of a team far removed from a losing team. Next Tuesday in CCL, they have a road contest against Panama Arabe Unido (GOL TV Canada, 8 p.m.), a six-time league champion.

“I think we’ve turned the corner,” said Johnston. “It’s just staying clean and healthy.  The amount of games we have coming up, the guys are going to get tired but there's no excuses. The guys are playing very well, jelling together. Off the field, they’re a happy bunch.”

Johnston credits Preki for a run that has seen the club lose just five of its last 23 games.

"The point I have made is that he brings that experience of MLS. He’s been a player, he’s played in all-star games, playoffs.  He’s coached in the playoffs. Hopefully he can get us into the MLS playoffs.”

“We are very happy with where we are. Looking down the bench we have much more depth than last year and in year’s previous. When you look at it it can only be good moving forward.”

MORE ON THE 'BENCHMARK' from Mike Ulmer.

A benchmark is an indispensable tool when building something great.

It is a fixed, everlasting mark. Everything to come exists because of it. Future endeavours are measured against it.

Tuesday night at BMO Field, and Toronto FC delivered a coming of age 2-1 win over Cruz Azul in a CONCACAF Champions League group game.

It was a benchmark game. The Reds delivered 90 minutes worthy of the most rabid support. In the opening half they outplayed and outchanced the Mexican team.

Based on their ability to shut out North American opponents over their previous four games, Cruz Azul was heavily favored.

It mattered not a bit to Toronto. First-half goals from Martin Saric and Mista delighted hometown fans. Jon Conway, in for regular keeper Stefan Frei, enjoyed a star turn. Toronto FC shrugged off the loss of the injured Chad Barrett and Maicon Santos and surrendered a goal only in the game’s waning moments.

A squad largely overhauled since the season opener and the resolute work of Preki has delivered a talented, entertaining team after three years of necessary but occasionally painful growth.

And that’s what Wednesday’s game was about, a benchmark moment that signals a break from the struggles of the past and draws a bright future into clearer focus. There will be losses. There will be disappointments. But for the first time, the club, its followers and players, have savored a night at the top.  And now that they have, everything is different.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/sweet-victory-tfc

A Jolt Of Confidence

Can Toronto use the Cruz Azul momentum against New York?



TORONTO – A big confidence boost was just what Toronto FC needed, and they got it in spades Tuesday night.

Coming off a demoralizing 1-0 loss on the road last week to New York, the Reds were forced to open the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League against Mexican giants Cruz Azul. And they rose to the challenge like professionals with a comprehensive 2-1 victory over los Cementeros, arguably one of the biggest-ever victories for TFC at BMO Field.

“We were just really well prepared and ready to go tonight against a very formidable opponent, one of the toughest teams in CONCACAF,” Toronto coach Preki said after the match. “We really prepared for this match, the players responded and I feel we really deserved the win tonight.”

The Reds wasted no time against Cruz Azul. Martin Saric opened the scoring just three minutes in, marking the quickest goal in any Toronto FC match in their four-year history. The Argentine midfielder headed the ball into the open net after a well-placed header by striker Mista was deflected in his path.

Saric had just returned from a knee injury and marked the occasion with a morale boost for a Toronto side who had just come off a frustrating 1-0 loss at Red Bull Arena last Wednesday.

Mista also looked dangerous throughout the match, and his memorable left-footed blast in the 44th minute gave Toronto a 2-0 halftime lead.

“The timing on his goal was just excellent,” Preki said of the Spanish striker's goal. “We were concerned, we knew they were a good team that was capable of producing, but Mista’s goal just changed the course of the game.”

The result gives the Reds a huge shot of confidence at just the right time. The pressure in their MLS card game gets turned up a notch on Saturday when they again face the second-place Red Bulls and their dangerous three-pronged attack of Thierry Henry, Rafa Márquez and Juan Pablo Angel.

“We are raring to go heading into our next game,” said Toronto defender Adrian Cann, who played solid 90 minutes Tuesday. “Now playing New York after a game like this, we are really looking forward to that game.”

New York lead Toronto by five points in the standings and, although TFC have a game in hand, they definitely need the points as the MLS playoff race tightens ahead of the stretch run. But perhaps Tuesday night's performance is the launchpad they need – as long as they don't let it go to their heads, according to Nana Attakora.

“We just can’t go into the game too high on ourselves," said the defender. "We have a really tough game coming up on Saturday."

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/jolt-confidence

Demystifying Mista



Kristel Valencia is a correspondent for FútbolMLS.com - Major League Soccer's Spanish language news site.

MLSsoccer.com recently had the chance to chat with Toronto FC forward Miguel Ángel Ferrer Martínez, commonly known as "Mista." The Spaniard, who arrived at TFC  in July, scored a goal and tallied an assist in his team’s 2-1 victory over Mexico’s Cruz Azul in their CONCACAF Champions League match on Tuesday.

The striker, whose résumé includes the likes of Real Madrid, Valencia and Deportivo La Coruña, talked to us about his first impressions of MLS and Toronto FC. Mista discussed exacting revenge on the New York Red Bulls this weekend, his team’s role in the Champions League and, probably most importantly, the origin of his nickname.

MLSsoccer.com: How have you felt through your first month in MLS?

Mista: I’ve felt good. Perhaps it’s been a bit tough in terms of adapting, the change in time zones and adjusting to the rhythm of life in another part of the world. I’m happy, though, because things have turned out well [and] the team and the league have welcomed me quite well.

MLSsoccer.com: What led you to make the decision to come to MLS?

Mista: When I found out about the offer and that there was a possibility of playing for an MLS team, I consulted with my Toronto teammate Julian de Guzman, with whom I played in Spain, and he gave me the push to come. He told me about the situation here, how things were – he told me about everything. It’s been a great experience and appealing one for any player.

MLSsoccer.com: Is what you’ve seen of MLS thus far what you expected?

Mista: It’s been better than I imagined. Sometimes I was told that soccer in MLS wasn’t at the level that I played at. But now that I’ve arrived, I’ve noticed that it’s a league with a lot of quality and with growth potential superior to that of many other leagues. Today’s MLS has nothing to envy about other leagues. It’s improving day by day and has the mentality of creating a league as competitive as those of other countries.

MLSsoccer.com: What are your personal goals with Toronto?

Mista: To try to be the player I want to be and to be at 100 percent as soon as possible to help my team reach the MLS playoffs, which will be something great for us. In the CONCACAF Champions League, I want us to go as far as possible because it’s an important international tournament and every player wants to do a good job in that type of competition.

MLSsoccer.com: You forged a successful career in Spain. What has been your most memorable moment in your career so far?

Mista: I think it coincides with my time with Valencia, when we won two titles. We were champions in La Liga and we were champions in the UEFA Cup. Those are the moments I cherish the most.

MLSsoccer.com: What’s your impression of your new team?

Mista: It’s a good one. Since the first day that I arrived, they helped me adapt to the city and the team. Julian and the rest have explained everything to me, what they do, what they think about doing and the way the team functions on and off the pitch. I want to thank all of them because they’ve treated me in an exemplary manner.

MLSsoccer.com: What about coach Preki’s philosophy?

Mista: He’s a coach that used to play and that makes it easier for players to know their roles on the team. I spoke with him upon my arrival, we spoke about the soccer he wants to display and, when one is on good terms, things are a lot easier. He told me what he expected of me, and I told him what I could give.

MLSsoccer.com: What can we expect from Toronto in the CONCACAF Champions League?

Mista: It’s an important tournament where only the best in the region play. It’s a situation that fills us with pride and gives us a lot of responsibility because if Toronto are in there, it’s because of personal merit. We have to keep doing things well and keep working to win games, as it’s a great competition and valued by all participating in it.

MLSsoccer.com: Do you think group rivals Cruz Azul – which you beat Tuesday – Árabe Unido and Real Salt Lake will give you a tough fight?

Mista: Cruz Azul are a side that likes to possess the ball and is dangerous. That deserves respect because it’s something you have to look out for. We don’t know much about Árabe Unido, but we’re not worried because the coach’s job is to inform us, and [Preki] is doing a good job of that.

MLSsoccer.com: Toronto host the Red Bulls after playing a tough game last week at Red Bull Arena. How are you preparing for this game?

Mista: We expected a lot out of the game at Red Bull Arena because, had we won, we would’ve been a lot closer to the [Eastern Conference’s] second spot. I think we deserve to be in second, but we lost that game despite having played well and now we want to reverse the result. We want to win to pull closer to New York and, most of all, win to get closer to a playoffs spot.

MLSsoccer.com: Have you had the opportunity to speak to Rafa Márquez and Thierry Henry, whom you faced many times in La Liga, about their MLS experience?

Mista: I had the opportunity to speak with Thierry, and he told me similar things to what I’m experiencing, such as the process of adaptation. But he told me he was happy because New York have a fantastic team.

MLSsoccer.com: Are you reviving the rivalry that existed when you played Márquez and Henry in Europe?

Mista: Seeing Henry the other day was good, but there will always be a rivalry on the pitch because you always want to win. It’s not a negative rivalry, but it is important for me to beat the Red Bulls because they’re a team that is directly competing with us.

MLSsoccer.com: What the story behind your nickname?

Mista: It’s a nickname that comes from my family. It’s the nickname they called my grandfather and my grandfather’s grandfather. The tradition kept on, passing from father to son. But [we] never really knew the meaning of the word. My father was given the name when he was born, I was given the name when I was born, and I hope that my sons and their sons keep [the tradition alive].

MLSsoccer.com: How’s life in Toronto?

Mista: Good. It’s a tranquil city. People are very nice and I can get help every time I need it. Until now, I’m liking life and the way people have received me here.

MLSsoccer.com: What have you liked the most about your time in North America?

Mista: I like the passion that people here have for their sports, not just soccer. In Spain, one lives the passion for soccer, but I’ve noticed here that people follow other sports, like basketball, hockey and baseball with wild passion. That’s good for the athletes’ motivation.

MLSsoccer.com: How’s your English coming along?

Mista: Not very well, but I’m taking classes to improve. It’s improved a lot since I got here, but I hope that in a few months I can speak English more fluently.

MLSsoccer.com: Finally, do you have an interesting anecdote of something you’ve experienced in Canada?

Mista: I had a big scare when I got here with my work permit and was stopped by customs in the airport. I was freaked a bit because I didn’t know where they were taking me, which ended up simply being to give me a permit. But since I knew nothing and was a little lost, I thought they were going to deport me back to Spain and, I thought I would have to explain myself to the club.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/demystifying-mista

Reds Look To Avenge New York Loss



The Basics

Toronto FC (7W-5D-7L), 26 points, third place Eastern Conference) vs. Red Bull New York (9W-4D-7L) 31 points, second place in East)

New York lead the series 5-4-1

Game Intro

Second place in the Eastern Conference is at stake, from Toronto’s perspective. Coming into a key home and home set with second-place New York, the Reds had an opportunity to close to within two points with a win last week.

However, Toronto fell 1-0 at Red Bull Arena on a goal by Joel Lindpere and are now down five points again must win this “six-pointer” to have a chance of securing second place and a guaranteed playoff seed. A New York win would move the Red Bulls within three points of Columbus for first in the conference.

Toronto FC

TFC are brimming with confidence following their upset win over two-time CONCACAF Champions League finalists Cruz Azul Tuesday in Toronto. Facing injuries and the Group A favorite, Toronto weren’t given much of a chance to win. But the Reds responded well playing what some say was their best half of the season, taking the play to the Mexican side and jumping out to a two-goal lead after 45 minutes.

Mista had his best game in Reds uniform, scoring a goal and figuring in on the first goal from Martin Saric, who returned from injury. Starting strike tandem Chad Barrett and Maicon Santos are doubtful, so Mista and O’Brian White may again fill in to help Toronto maintain their undefeated record at home. This is TFC’s second game of four in 11 days that include two MLS games and two CCL matches.

New York Red Bulls

The Red Bulls fell to the Los Angeles Galaxy last weekend before a Red Bull Arena sellout crowd of 25,000 in a battle of teams with famous Designated Players. Though Galaxy DP David Beckham didn’t play, the game still resembled a rock star-like atmosphere with another Red Bulls DP, defender Rafa Márquez, making his home debut.

Despite the loss, New York are still playing well with only one loss in their last four league matches and have an opportunity to put a firm hold on second place, while eying a run at first. Both Thierry Henry and Márquez are fighting injury and fitness, but should be ready to go against Toronto. Henry’s play will be a key to reverse an offensive drought that has seen the Red Bulls score just four goals in their last seven matches.

Heroes & Villains

Nana Attakora vs. Thierry Henry: The 21-year-old Attakora played the striker position in youth soccer and admired Henry for his offensive prowess. In his first opportunity to defend the former French National Team star, the youngster held his own keeping the former FC Barcelona and Arsenal striker off the scoresheet.

Attakora learned much about a striker’s mentality from covering Henry and his ability to apply that and his positional sense to keep Henry at bay will improve Toronto’s chances of winning this critical game.

Stat that makes you go “Hmm"

Toronto are undefeated at BMO Field in 2010 in MLS, Nutrilite Canadian Championship and CONCACAF Champions league play with a record of 10-0-4 overall.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/reds-look-avenge-new-york-loss

Barrett, Garcia Get Back To Training

Toronto FC forward Chad Barrett and defender Nick Garcia both returned to training on Friday at BMO Field and will be in the squad to face New York Red Bulls on Saturday (kick off 1:00 p.m. live on CBC  and The FAN 590).

Barrett has not played since leaving the 1-0 defeat in New York with a tweaked hamstring on August 11. Garcia missed Tuesday’s Champions League win over Cruz Azul with a knee injury sustained in training ahead of the match.

“Chad has trained today and has been feeling good.“ said Toronto coach Preki after training Friday. “We will look at him again tomorrow and see how he reacts after a day of training. Nick is fine and should be good to go.”

Maicon Santos remains sidelined with a knee injury. “He is making progress and we hope he won’t be out for long but he won’t play tomorrow.”

Toronto will be without midfielder Julian de Guzman who is suspended for one match after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the last league match. “We will miss Julian for sure, but we have to believe that we have other players who can step in and fill the whole,” said the coach.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/barrett-garcia-get-back-training

Ipak je New York .. New York

MLS Unbeaten Streak Ends For Toronto



Toronto - Mexican international Rafa Márquez opened his MLS account to kick off a 4-1 rout as the New York Red Bulls handed Toronto FC  their first home loss of the year. The three valuable points picked up at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon put the 2nd-place Red Bulls three points behind the Columbus Crew and opened up a 6-point gap over 3rd-place TFC.

While the hometown Reds seemed determined on stopping highly touted French international Thierry Henry, a clinical finish by New York’s other designated player and some cruel misfortune helped the visitors gain a 2-0 halftime lead.

Toronto actually came closest early on. Nick La Brocca nearly changed the course of the game in the 14th minute when his scorching shot from the top of the penalty area beat New York goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul. But the ball clanged off the post.

n the 35th minute, New York asserted themselves for good. A poor clearance eventually led to a scorching strike by Márquez, the former Barcelona halfback. Midfielder Tony Tchani  picked up a loose ball and slid a square ball to Márquez, who wasted no time cutting towards the Toronto goal and unleashing his shot into the upper 90, leaving goalkeeper Stefan Frei helpless.

Three minutes later, the Red Bulls doubled their lead when TFC midfielder Joseph Nane struck an own goal. New York midfielder Dane Richards was fouled by Toronto defender Dan Gargan on the right side. Márquez’s resulting free kick curved in front of the Toronto goal, and after Nana Attakora whiffed, the ball struck Nane’s shin and bounced into the back of the Reds’ goal.

Colombian striker Juan Pablo Ángel was unlucky not to make the score 3-0 when his point blank shot was snuffed out by Frei four minutes before the halftime break.

Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario finally broke Toronto’s duck with his own display of skill in the 49th minute. Receiving a loose pass from O’Brian White, DeRo beat defender Carlos Mendes to the ball and then fired a tight-angled shot through Coundoul’s legs.

Henry, who has yet to score for the Red Bulls, found himself with a glorious chance to open his own MLS account in the 56th minute. In alone on goal after a nice move around the defender, he struck his shot high, earning a chorus of catcalls from the Toronto supporters.

The game then changed for good in the 60th minute. Attakora, the man assigned with marking Henry, Attakora, was given his marching orders. A cross from the right side looked destined for an open Henry before Attakora knocked it away with his hand. Referee Jair Marrufo wasted no time flashing a red card.

RBNY captain Ángel slotted the resulting penalty kick home in off the crossbar.

Márquez left the game in the 74th minute and was replaced by former TFC defender Carl Robinson, who received a huge ovation in appreciation for his three seasons at BMO Field. And just four minutes later, Robinson got on the scoresheet, heading in a wicked cross from Dane Richards that Frei misplayed. Robinson, classy as ever, refused to celebrate his goal in front of the fans who previously cheered for him in Toronto.

Some sensational play by both goaltenders helped close out the match, with Coundoul stopping Nick La Brocca from close range in the 84th minute and Frei shutting down Lindpere with a spectacular fingertip save less than a minute later.

The loss ended Toronto’s17-game home unbeaten run, the longest in club history, which dated back to last season. The Reds will not have time to think about it, though, as they travel to Panama on Tuesday night for a CONCACAF Champions League match against Arabe Unido, before returning home to face defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake next Saturday.

New York head to the West Coast next weekend for a clash with the San Jose Earthquakes.

Scoring Summary:

NY -- Rafael Marquez 1 (Tony Tchani 1) 35
NY -- own goal (Joseph Nane) 41
TOR -- Dwayne De Rosario 9 (O'Brian White 2) 49
NY -- Juan Pablo Angel 12 (penalty kick) 61
NY -- Carl Robinson 1 (unassisted) 77

New York Red Bulls -- Bouna Coundoul, Roy Miller, Tim Ream, Carlos Mendes, Chris Albright, Joel Lindpere, Rafael Marquez (Carl Robinson 74), Tony Tchani, Dane Richards, Juan Pablo Angel, Thierry Henry (Salou Ibrahim 67).

Substitutes Not Used: Danleigh Borman, Mike Petke, Seth Stammler, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Greg Sutton.

Toronto FC -- Stefan Frei, Dan Gargan, Adrian Cann, Nana Attakora, Nick Garcia, Dwayne De Rosario, Martin Saric (Fuad Ibrahim 77), Joseph Nane, Nick LaBrocca, O'Brian White (Chad Barrett 63), Mista (Jacob Peterson 46).

Substitutes Not Used: Ty Harden, Raivis Hscanovics, Maksim Usanov, Jon Conway.

Misconduct Summary:

NY -- Carlos Mendes (caution; Reckless Tackle) 14
NY -- Rafael Marquez (caution; Reckless Tackle) 37
TOR -- Nana Attakora (ejection; Denied Goal Scoring Opportunity (Handball)) 60
NY -- Salou Ibrahim (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 72

Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants: Bill Dittmar, Cameron Blair
4th Official: Geoff Gamble
Attendance: 22,108

(Oficijalni sajt)

Panamanian Ejections

Reds see two sent off in 1-0 loss to Arabe Unido in CCL group match.



Toronto FC  gave up a goal before halftime and finished the game with nine men as the Reds fell to Árabe Unido 1-0 in Panama on Tuesday night in the second match of their CONCACAF Champions League group-stage campaign.

The Panamanian side dominated possession in the opening half by a 92 percent margin and, despite numerous half-chances, were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 40th minute.

Árabe Unido defender Roland de la Cruz headed down a corner kick straight into the path of striker Fidel Caesar, who unleashed a spectacular first-time half-volley towards the Toronto goal.

The shot appeared to have been stopped by Reds defender Gabe Gala, but the ball was judged to have crossed the line and the visitors went to the dressing room with a 1-0 halftime lead.

Toronto coach Preki elected to start third-string goalkeeper Milos Kocic in place of Toronto’s usual starter Stefan Frei and backup Jon Conway.

Kocic, who had been on loan to the Serbian White Eagles of the Canadian Soccer League, played admirably in the match and shut down Árabe’s Mario Angulo in the final minutes of play when the speedy attacker broke towards the Toronto goal and unleashed a hard blast that Kocic turned away.

After halftime, the Reds came out of the locker room with a new game plan and began to finally apply pressure to the home side. Second-half substitute Dwayne De Rosario narrowly missed setting up the tying goal three minutes after the break when Toronto striker Fuad Ibrahim spotted up at the top of the 6-yard box.

De Rosario had replaced striker O’Brian White and wasted no time working himself into the fray, putting the ball just inches away from the feet of Ibrahim before goalkeeper José Calderón quickly smothered the centering pass.

Two minutes later, Toronto’s aggressiveness in their penalty area backfired when midfielder Nick LaBrocca slammed into a charging Calderón and was issued a red-card ejection for the challenge, reducing the Reds to 10 men.

TFC were left down a man further in the 87th minute after De Rosario tried but failed to convert a late equalizer with a spectacular bicycle kick that failed to find the target. The resulting play saw a pressuring Ibrahim ejected for a late tackle that left Árabe defender Reinaldo Anderson sprawling on the ground.

Árabe Unido played Tuesday’s match 45 miles from their home stadium in Colón and instead faced their Canadian competitors at Estadio Agustín Sánchez in La Chorrera, home of Panamanian rivals San Francisco FC.

TFC return to league action on Saturday at Real Salt Lake and then face the defending champs again in their next Champions League match at Rio Tinto Stadium on Sept. 15.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/panamanian-ejections

Woodwork & Keepers In Toronto Stalemate



TORONTO – Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake  battled to a scoreless draw on Saturday night at BMO Field in a match filled with numerous opportunities and spectacular saves on both ends.

With the carnival lights of the annual Canadian National Exhition as a fitting backdrop, both teams couldn’t find the back of the net. RSL’s Chris Wingert and Canadian international Will Johnson came the closest with each hitting the goalpost for RSL inside the final 10 minutes. Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei also made two spectacular full-stretch saves to deny the visitors.

With only three home games remaining in their MLS season, Toronto FC could not capitalize as they failed to win for the second consecutive league match at BMO Field.

Meanwhile, RSL have lost just once in their last 12 MLS matches and moved within three points of the Los Angeles Galaxy for the overall league lead and the top spot in the Western Conference.

Injuries and suspensions meant Preki started Dan Gargan at right midfield, Ty Harden at center back for the suspended Nana Attakora and paired Mista and Dwayne De Rosario up top. But with strikers Maicon Santos and Chad Barrett still out with injuries, Toronto couldn’t generate much sustained offense.

Toronto may have enjoyed the better of the play in the opening half-hour but Real Salt Lake were dangerous up top through the active Fabian Espindola.

RSL ended the first half strongly with Frei making a diving stop on Wingert’s long-distance drive. Then midfielder Ned Grabavoy sent a drive just over the cross bar in stoppage time.

Seconds after the break Espindola took a long ball from midfield and bypassed Frei but sent the shot wide of the open goal. Then Javier Morales headed a left-footed cross from Espindola that forced Frei to make another diving save.

Toronto’s best chance came in the 78th minute when Mista sent a left footer just wide of the far post.

Both clubs will face each other twice more in a home and away set in the CONCACAF Champions League. With a four-way
tie in Group A, both games should go a long way in deciding the top two finishers.

Real Salt Lake -- Nick Rimando, Chris Wingert, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Tony Beltran, Ned Grabavoy, Javier Morales, Kyle Beckerman, Andy Williams (Will Johnson 69), Alvaro Saborio (Robbie Findley 62), Fabian Espindola (Jean Alexandre 83).

Substitutes Not Used: Pablo Campos, Nelson Gonzalez, Robbie Russell, Kyle Reynish.

Toronto FC -- Stefan Frei, Maksim Usanov (O'Brian White 46), Ty Harden, Adrian Cann, Nick Garcia, Dan Gargan, Martin Saric (Jacob Peterson 69), Julian de Guzman, Nick LaBrocca, Dwayne De Rosario, Mista.

Substitutes Not Used: Gabe Gala, Raivis Hscanovics, Fuad Ibrahim, Joseph Nane, Jon Conway.

Misconduct Summary:
RSL -- Jamison Olave (caution; Tactical Foul) 18

Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Referee's Assistants: Craig Lowry, Brian Poeschel
4th Official: Steven DePiero

Attendance: 21,047

(Oficijalni sajt)