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Toronto FC took on their second opponent, Orlando City SC, in preseason yesterday, and with three goals and a clean sheet to their name, the club picks up their first win in 2013, too. For those who didn't catch the game on the live stream over that newfangled contraption called the Internet, Toronto FC suffered through an incredibly boring first half, before picking things up in the second and sweeping Orlando aside 3-0.
The first goal was scored by English trialist and second round draft pick Taylor Morgan, a forward who found himself clear on a breakaway before rounding the keeper and slotting home an easy goal. The second, a Terry Dunfield penalty, was so moving and powerful that Orlando defender Adama Mbengue decided to pick a fight with the Canadian midfielder: the referee flashed the red card and sent Mbengue to the dressing rooms soon after.
Finally, Toronto FC Academy product Jonathan Osorio managed to score one of the more impressive goals in recent history, squeezing past two players before slipping the ball past the keeper. Osorio has to be on Ryan Nelsen's radar now, and it wouldn't surprise many find he is graduated this year, too. His passing is strong, his movement is decent, and he can make a difference, a good trait for an attacking midfielder.
So, a 3-0 win following an ugly and tiring first half saw Toronto FC actually pick up a win. Do you smell that? That's the smell of victory, of three points gained, of a clean sheet earned (kudos to Joe Bendik, who stepped in for Frei and did well).
Yet there has been criticism, too, of Toronto FC's play. Orlando had Toronto on the ropes for much of the first half, and it wasn't always clear which side was the Major League Soccer outfit. Are these worrying signs? Toronto FC hasn't really played a meaningful game yet, so taking anything serious from what is essentially a training exercise isn't really worth it.
The defenders were praised for their positive play, and one standout, Gale Agbossoumonde, has certainly made a case for himself as a starting line up option. Perhaps it was due to the quality of the forwards he was presented with, but every ball that Agbossoumonde sniffed at was soon attached to his feet. He's the kind of centre-half who knows how to stick his foot in and take the ball away, and he also has presence in the air. Will Califf start ahead of Agbossoumonde? It's a good problem to have, picking one or the other, assuming Darren O'Dea keeps his spot on the left of centre.
Still, Toronto FC lack inspiration up top. I feel like a broken record but the real story of preseason camp is "good defence, no forwards." Toronto is desperate for some new, attacking threats. Nicolas Cabrera looked better this time around, but he's not the answer Toronto FC is looking for, at least not yet. So a win is a win, but is a win acceptable if there are problems to be solved?
Well, yes and no. Toronto FC will be under no illusions that a win over Orlando is a sign of a roster coming together or being completed. There are still holes that need to be filled in the offensive line. The team chemistry is also lacking a bit, though it is fun to see Kyle Bekker look to Emery Welshman when attempting a long pass. The central of midfield remains a free-for-all, with no clear choices for a starting role. Richard Eckersley's stock isn't rising, either.
There's a lack of style and cohesion that can be chalked up to an equally important lack of experience playing together. To fault the club now is premature at best - winning is a habit that is formed over a long period of time. It is a culture that is groomed, one that sees championship teams stay championship winning teams. It's why Manchester United has been a winning side regardless of how old their elderly players are, or how thin their backbone may be, how stretched the roster is from injuries, how often the club goes through forwards like Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov. There is a culture of winning - anything less is unacceptable.
Style comes after this culture of winning is established. For a club that hasn't seen much winning as of late, any victory is a good one. This is the first step in the right direction - beating a team in a lower league is a must, but that hasn't always happened. It's a positive sign, that Toronto can build on and improve.
Since the last game, Toronto FC has made three cuts, including Joevin Jones, who didn't even feature for the club. Meanwhile, Darel Russell from Portsmouth has joined the team on trial: he's a midfielder who can play of the right flank and has plenty of experience in England, but has bounced around a bit - not the forward Toronto FC is looking for, but another option in midfield. At 32, he's getting on a bit and he's coming on from Europe, somewhere president Kevin Payne said he would not be exploring due to higher prices.
With Russell coming in, does this mean Toronto FC's prospects in South America have dried up? Besides Cabrera, there has been no news coming out from down south. Perhaps Toronto FC isn't as confident in utilizing the massive amount of allocation money it possesses.
So the club wins their first game, but there are still plenty of questions and concerns surrounding Toronto FC. The team takes on the Philadelphia Union this Saturday.
TFC Head Coach Ryan Nelsen on Toronto FC's preseason win over Orlando:
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