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Toronto FC 2 – LA Galaxy 2
The Prelude to Battle
Toronto FC head into their fourth regular season match in the 2013 season and face off against MLS Cup champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy, at their home opener at BMO Field. The Reds are coming off a strong early-season performance, with a win against Sporting Kansas City wedged in-between a pair of losses against their Canadian rivals, Montreal and Vancouver.
With a similar starting lineup, Toronto FC take on the Galaxy relying on the club’s newest star, Robert Earnshaw, as well as lining up Terry Dunfield and Jeremy Hall in the middle of the field once again. The only change in the starting XI was the inclusion of Darel Russell in place of Ashtone Morgan. Russell was placed at rightback, while Richard Eckersley played left fullback.
The Los Angeles Galaxy have been without their own superstars in Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane, the former taking a sabbatical away from the game of soccer, the latter injured after playing for Ireland in World Cup Qualifying.
Donovan, however, does make the bench against Toronto, and may see some minutes at the end of the game. However, without David Beckham, the LA Galaxy has also lost a key playmaker in the middle of the park.
Ryan Nelsen takes on his first game as coach at BMO Field against very tough opponents, using his now-standard 4-4-1-1 formation. With Carlo Cudicini between the posts for the Galaxy, and a strong and capable backline, Toronto FC need to work efficiently if they are going to pick up the second win of the season.
It’s Toronto FC versus the reigning champs, the LA Galaxy, and it promises to be a good one!
The Opening 45
Toronto FC started the match off well, putting good pressure on the LA Galaxy backline. Robert Earnshaw linked up with Hogan Ephraim and Richard Eckersley on the left, with Reggie Lambe in support. However, the first real chance at goal came from the Galaxy, when a Joe Bendik save flew precariously onto the foot of Magee. The shot never found the back of the net, however.
The next few minutes were spent with the Galaxy pressuring Toronto FC, but the Reds held their shape, defending well. Sean Franklin was causing plenty of problems for Toronto on the right, however, and it didn’t take long before the Galaxy managed to maneuver around Toronto FC’s backline, with Mike Magee scoring off a great through ball by Marcelo Sarvas – 1-0 Los Angeles in the 16th minute.
Mike Magee came close to scoring once again, when A.J. DeLaGarza swung in a great cross, which was saved by Joe Bendik in dramatic fashion. Toronto FC kept swinging the ball near Robert Earnshaw, looking for the speedy striker to get on the end of a cross.
It took a few tries, but in the 29th minute, Earnshaw finally found the gap in the Los Angeles defense, rounded the onrushing keeper and floated the ball into the back of the net! Earnshaw’s fourth goal of the season made it Toronto FC 1-1 Los Angeles Galaxy.
Toronto kept up the positive pressure, with Eckersley making a bursting run forward, and Bostock finding Reggie Lambe in open space – both opportunities ended with side netting, but the effort on Toronto’s left was creating chances.
The Galaxy won a corner late in the first half, Juninho stepping up to take it. The resulting header went off the mark, giving Bendik the goal kick; it would be the last attempt Los Angeles made in the first half of play. With only a minute of added time, Toronto FC came close to scoring again, with Lambe finding space on his opposite flank – it came to nothing, and the two teams headed into the locker rooms level at one a piece.
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@odea_darren @torontofc work in progress, still heart wrenching though, some mistakes cost more than others though.
- @davesaad |
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The Second Half
Toronto started the second half with as much intensity as the first, maintaining possession for the first five minutes and trying to find weaknesses in Los Angeles’ backline. In the 51st minute, Danny Califf picked up a yellow card, the first of the match. Earnshaw had an attempt for a second goal in the 54th minute, but hit the ball over the bar by some distance. Toronto’s next attempt would be much more dangerous, Lambe swinging a cross in for Bostock, whose headed ball found the hands of Cudicini.
With half an hour to go in the game, Bruce Arena called upon Landon Donovan at last. The United States international came on for Jack McBean in the 61st minute, to a chorus of boos from the Toronto faithful. His first touch came seconds after on a wide-open shot, but he showed his rusty feet and scoffed the shot, giving Bendik an easy scoop up.
In the 64th minute, Jonathan Osorio came on in exchange for Terry Dunfield, Ryan Nelsen opting for a more attacking presence in midfield. Hogan Ephraim was the next player to take a crack at Cudicini’s goal, but his effort went a foot high and wide. In the 70th minute, the Galaxy subbed in Jose Villarreal in exchange for Michael Stephens. Nelsen also made a change, swapping Bostock and Lambe’s positions on the field.
The Galaxy turned up the pressure in the final 15 minutes of play, winning their fair share of corners and causing problems for Toronto in midfield. In order to add some fresh legs, Nelsen put fan-favourite Luis Silva on for the first time this season, in exchange for Ephraim, in the 72nd minute.
Darel Russell got a crack in on the Los Angeles net, but it was saved easily by, you guessed it, Cudicini. Marcelo Sarvas picked up a yellow card in the 76th minute, after tugging Osorio to the ground.
And there it was, in the 78th minute – a moment of pure, pure brilliance from start to finish. Jeremy Hall found Robert Earnshaw, who used the back of his heel to flick it to the left wing to Luis Silva. Silva went ahead and showed the world how to play Brazilian-style football, using the infamous (and lightning fast) step over before taking his shot on net, a shot that Toronto local Osorio tapped in to everyone’s delight.
It was Osorio’s first goal for Toronto FC and it could not have come at a better time! Toronto FC 2-1 Los Angeles Galaxy.
Toronto started playing with much more confidence, but this time last year, the Galaxy punished Toronto FC late on and drew level at the Rogers Centre; with the threat of Donovan and Magee up top, Toronto FC required discipline in the backline to see the game through.
The Galaxy made their final substitution of the game, putting on Colin Clark in exchange for Leonardo in the 85th minute. With five minutes to go, Toronto FC held onto their last substitution, with Gale Agbossoumonde set to come on for the first time, for Danny Califf.
Three minutes of added time would round off the affair, and just like before, Toronto FC conceded a late goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Heartbreaking stuff, but a volley goal scored by Villarreal drew the game at 2-2 once more.
A final corner kick was conceded by the Galaxy in the 94th minute, but a 2-2 draw was all Toronto FC would get out of this hard-fought match. Toronto FC will feel they deserved more out of the encounter, with two points lost rather than one point gained. Still, against difficult opposition, Toronto FC holds the LA Galaxy to a stalemate.
Post-Match Reaction
When asked about his first goal, akin to his goal against Sporting Kansas City, Earnshaw was humble, simply stating:
“I just reacted off what the defense gave me: Cudicini came out, and I just thought, ‘I’ve got to touch it around him,’ and I just thought to obviously chip the ball, really, so it was more just instinct,” said Earnshaw.
“If [the defense] makes the mistake, then, you know, I’ve got to be there. I’ve been lucky enough that there’s just been a couple of chances where I’ve been there, been on the front foot and scored a couple of goals,” said Earnshaw. “I’m hoping we can create more clear-cut chances and hopefully I can get more goals.”
On the second goal, Earnshaw commented on Luis Silva’s run and Jonathan Osorio’s first goal:
“I saw Luis make the run and it was a great run, I just thought to back heel it into his path and hopefully he could carry it on,” continued Earnshaw.
He [Silva] did brilliant, he made the chance with his tricks, crossed the ball in, and it was a great run from Oso [Osorio],” said Earnshaw. “I’m pleased for Oso as well because I think it’s his first ever goal, so that’s nice, you know. He scored in the perfect time as well – it’s just disappointing we didn’t get the win from it.”
It was those tricks that caught many supporter’s eye, and Luis Silva explained how he pulls off those skill moves.
“You have to be confident, just go out there and have fun and whatever option the defender gives you, you got to take advantage of that,” said Silva.
As for his review of the season so far, Silva is optimistic:
“I think we’re looking good; so far we’re looking good. Obviously, we couldn’t put that game away but overall I think there’s a lot of positives in it and we’ve got to move forward,” concluded Silva.
The Final Word: Good, Not Great For a Growing Toronto FC
It was a game harkening back to the woes of last season, coupled with the promise, potential and progress achieved so far this season.
Where connections can be drawn between today’s performance (and late-goal draw) and that of last season at the Rogers Centre, the differences could not be any more obvious. The scoreline may be 2-2, but how Toronto FC and the LA Galaxy went about finishing at two-a-piece is a different story entirely.
Whereas last year, Toronto scraped in two early goals and couldn’t hold on, this season’s encounter was decidedly more controlled. Toronto FC looked a team capable of winning the match throughout the 90 minutes. The possession stat was not skewed in one direction, Toronto was not defending for the majority of the match, and the midfield wasn’t clogged by Los Angeles’ creative combination of Juninho and Marcelo Sarvas.
With Jeremy Hall and Reggie Lambe hustling defensively, and Robert Earnshaw once again causing MLS backlines a real headache, Toronto FC were the dominant outfit on the day. The first goal scored by Earnshaw was a poacher’s goal, and the second was an absolute thing of beauty. This was not a game that Toronto FC looked like losing near the end, but in similar fashion, a late equalizer keeps the two teams level.
The Los Angeles – Toronto encounter has often been a tightly contested game. Though the Galaxy are always portrayed as the favourites, results say otherwise.
So, what comes out from a 2-2 draw? Definitive, statistical improvement from the club, for one – in the first four games of the season, Toronto FC has four points, one win, one draw and a pair of losses. That, in and of itself, isn’t the prettiest margin, but with a 0-9 start last season, points gained are more valuable than points never won.
There are improvements, observable and clear, but in order for Toronto FC to take it to the next level, time is necessary. The ability to see out these kinds of games, win by more comfortable margins and dominate the midfield is something not learned overnight.
As Nelsen said, it’s a process, but for now, Toronto FC seems to be heading in the right direction. A 2-2 draw against the reigning MLS champs is just fine, for now!
Toronto FC Lineup
12 Joe Bendik
27 Richard Eckersley
16 Darel Russell
48 Darren O’Dea
3 Danny Califf
31 Hogan Ephraim
19 Reggie Lambe
23 Terry Dunfield
25 Jeremy Hall
7 John Bostock
10 Robert Earnshaw
Substitutions: Jonathan Osorio in for Terry Dunfield (64’); Luis Silva in for Hogan Ephraim (72’); Gale Agbossoumonde in for Danny Califf (91’).
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