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Philadelphia Union 1 – Toronto FC 1
The Prelude to Battle
Toronto FC were back on the road on Saturday to take on the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Reds were looking to build on some positive performances with their first road win of the 2013 campaign while the rebuilding Union entered play with two wins to their credit.
Toronto FC’s starting eleven had a bit of a different look to it, as striker Justin Braun got the start in place of midfielder John Bostock, midfielder Luis Silva got his first start of the season and fullback Ashtone Morgan was back at left back in place of the injured Richard Eckersley.
For many in Philadelphia this match was billed as Danny Califf’s return to the City of Brotherly Love. However, TFC Head Coach Ryan Nelsen showed that he isn’t particularly sentimental via his decision to start central defender Gale Agbossoumonde in place of the former Union captain.
The Opening 45
This one kicked off with Toronto having to make a substitution very early on, with Darel Russell needing to come off with a leg injury and Ryan Richter coming on and making his MLS debut in the 7th minute.
The first half was ultimately not the most exciting half of football, but it was clear that Toronto had arrived with particular road-focused game plan. Toronto kept their shape, pressed and defended well and looked to catch the Union sleeping when the opportunity arose.
The Reds came close to opening the scoring in the 15th minute when Hogan Ephraim set up Robert Earnshaw for a goal that was ultimately called offside.
Philadelphia generated the majority of the scoring chances in the opening forty-five, but TFC keeper Joe Bendik came up big on several occasions against the Union strike duo of Conor Casey and Jack McInerney.
Toronto’s best scoring opportunity of the half came in the 45th minute when Luis Silva delivered a well-placed free kick that Darren O’Dea got all of on a header but was unable to get on target.
The Second Half
A match that had been physical and chippy in the first half became even more brutish in the second half.
Bendik came up big again early in the second half, tipping a 48th minute header from Jack McInerney over the cross bar. The TFC keeper followed that save up with another big one on Conor Casey a couple of minutes later.
Toronto broke through and opened the scoring in the 71st minute on a play in which Robert Earnshaw used his pace to beat the Union back line to a long ball and then beat keeper Zac MacMath to score his league-leading 5th goal of the season.
With TFC in the lead, Philadelphia made their expected run and played with more energy and urgency down the stretch.
Bendik looked like he had made a game-winning save in the 87th minute, but the game turned one minute later when Ashtone Morgan was sent off for earning a second yellow card on a very debatable decision by the referee. The TFC keeper stood on his head several more times and made a number of remarkable saves, but Philadelphia ultimately broke through and found an equalizer via McInerney during injury time.
The Final Word: TFC unable to seal the deal under relentless pressure.
On the surface, this match will look like one that Toronto FC supporters have seen all too many times. Another late goal conceded by Toronto and points dropped.
However, when you look at this game with a more analytical eye, this performance by Toronto really wasn’t akin to those late game collapses that Toronto have suffered over the last several years.
In terms of negatives, the late goal conceded under relentless pressure was less than ideal, but it should come with an asterisk. The sending off of Ashtone Morgan can be debated in Rashoman-like fashion, with individual perceptions and allegiances determining where you stand on the referee’s decision. Ultimately, the sending off of Morgan predetermined the tying goal more so than any break down or mental weakness on the part of the visiting side.
Furthermore, you can look at the manner in which Toronto responded to the overly physical manner in which the Union played from either a glass half empty or glass half full viewpoint. Proponents of the former might view this match as an instance in which Toronto played into the hands of Philadelphia and responded to their physical provocations to the detriment of their overall performance. Proponents of the latter will look at this match as one in which Toronto showed fight and character and the players fought back physically for themselves and for their teammates with the type of the spirit the occasion called for.
Ultimately, there were plenty of positives for Toronto to take away from this match. First and foremost was the play of keeper Joe Bendik, who really deserved a win for a remarkable performance. You have to wonder if Portland are now kicking themselves for letting him go.
Secondly, Robert Earnshaw scored his team-leading and league-leading (tied with Mike Magee) 5th goal of the season. The Wales International has been a fantastic acquisition for Toronto and has brought a lot of excitement back to TFC. Furthermore, look up the words ‘clinical finishing’ in the dictionary and you are likely to see his picture.
Thirdly, young players such as Gale Agbossoumonde and Ryan Richter stepped up and delivered strong and credible performances with Toronto missing some key veterans.
Fourthly, what looked like a less than exciting match until the end was probably a tactically astute and by design road performance that positively illustrated Nelsen’s preparedness and game management abilities, as well his players positive ability to execute a game plan effectively.
Lastly, earning results on the road is never easy and Toronto have now left a tough environment in Philadelphia with a point rather than a loss. Most importantly, Toronto FC continue to be competitive in every match that they play.
Toronto FC Lineup
12 Joe Bendik
16 Darel Russell
6 Gale Agbossoumonde
48 Darren O’Dea
5 Ashtone Morgan
31 Hogan Ephraim
19 Reggie Lambe
11 Luis Silva
25 Jeremy Hall
17 Justin Braun
10 Robert Earnshaw
Substitutions: Ryan Richter in for Darel Russell (7’); Jonathan Osorio in for Luis Silva (73’); John Bostock in for Robert Earnshaw (85’).
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