Hopefully Toronto FC enjoyed their 10-day break from action because they are now in the midst of another run of fixtures that will be as crowded as those that Paul Mariner began his tenure through. They have only two days after their 2-2 draw with the league’s second worst side to prepare for the Eastern Conference’s top team, Sporting Kansas City.
TFC are in a tough run of results where the majority of their play has been vacant and lackluster. Winless in their last three league games, including a 2-2 draw with a Portland side who had no wins and only two goals away from home, the only potential asterik beside that result is that four to five starter were missing.
Kansas City, lifted by their impressive start to the season, have leveled of somewhat but have done enough to be consistently near the top of the Eastern Conference. A balanced side with multiple threats, there is no question they are the favourites despite it being a home game for TFC. The Reds will have reinforcements, but likely fatigued and Paul Mariner will need to get his side massively motivated if they are to have the legs to come away with any points on Saturday afternoon.
Keep thinking
Fresh off their 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers, Toronto will have little time to prepare to face a much more formidable foe on Saturday afternoon: Sporting Kansas City. TFC for the most part looked weak against the worst road team in MLS, but did have moments of positivity through the second half, most notably with the linking up of Eric Hassli and Luis Silva.
A draw against Portland at home is nothing to be proud of, but if Toronto can take one thing from that it is they dug in and hung on missing upwards of five potential starters. Their return should buoy fragile confidence, but still should be measured in that those players will also be fatigued from playing and travel coming into this match. Terry Dunfield in the midfield was sorely missed Wednesday night, and the arrival of Darren O'Dea, whether he is the answer at Centre Back will remain to be seen, cannot come soon enough.
TFC are up against one of their few true rivals, the team who opened up BMO Field and left with all three points back in April of 2007. Since then the two teams have had a healthy give and take in terms of results with both sides able to steal points away from their home fields. Most recently, Toronto visited Livestrong Park in mid-June, a game that was Paul Mariner's first game as head coach, and were lucky to come away only losing 2-0. Even though TFC grew as the game progressed, the very poor early going in that match has been a worrying pattern that has continued since Mariner first match at the helm.
What is most daunting for TFC against this particular opponent is that they are almost as good on the road as they are at home. A rare trend that is often the requirement for being a contender in MLS, Kansas City are in good company with San Jose and Los Angeles as one of the best away sides in the league with six wins. Add into that, with half their games outside of Livestrong Park, they've actually scored more goals on the road than at home.
Kansas City are among a small handful of teams who can boast a balanced line-up front to back in terms of quality. As was seen in their first encounter this year, midfielder Graham Zusi pulls the strings for the attacking triumvirate of Kei Kamara, CJ Sapong or Teal Bunbury. Zusi is supported by a solid group of midfielders in Brazilian Julio Caesar and Honduran Roger Espinoza, as well as former Red Paolo Nagamura.
Looking across both teams, the only area Toronto can realistically match-up is in the attack. Eric Hassli broke out against Portland and delivered the goods in a goal and assist. Luis Silva paired up nicely with Hassli, as he is emerging as the creative attacker that TFC have lacked since Amado Guevara left in 2010.
The real question for Toronto is how much do they have left in the tank, specifically with Terry Dunfield and Torsten Frings? These two players will be critical to TFC winning the midfield battle and as many saw Wednesday night, Frings' legs are beginning to show their age as his consistency has dipped through the summer in terms of the quality he brings to the pitch.
Paul Mariner will need to manage his line-up wisely, as realistically if Toronto come out as disorganized and flat as they have in their last three matches, Kansas City should be able to capitalize and take advantage early. A motivated team from the get-go is critical and this might mean expending limited energy in the first half. Kansas City are not Portland or Colorado and it cannot be counted on that if TFC dig themselves into a hole that they have the ability to get themselves out of it against a much more organized side.
Should Toronto be able to dictate the game early, they might stand a chance against one of the top sides in the league. TFC have the attacking ability, but defending continues to let them down and how much of a difference Darren O'Dea can make in his first game will have to wait and see. Limiting Zusi will be essential and if the midfield has the legs and grit to win that area of the field, TFC stand a chance against an in-form Kansas City.
In the end
It is hard to stray away from a club’s current form when matching two sides up head to head. For Toronto FC, winless in three, against Sporting Kansas City, winners of two on the bounce, it’s tough to envision how the Reds come out of this one unscathed. Kansas City are not only a top side in the league, but one of the best on the road. If Toronto struggled to formulate any kind of cohesive tactics against the worst road team in Portland, it is hard to see how they will keep their heads above water against one of the better organized teams in MLS. The return of Ryan Johnson and Terry Dunfield, with the potential of Darren O’Dea could make a difference, however, tired legs are showing and Kansas City simply have too much game right now for TFC to go toe to to with.
Prediction
Sporting Kansas City 2 – 1 Toronto FC
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