Toronto Football Club - Major League Soccer Season 2019
Portland Timbers vs. Toronto FC Game
7
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
BMO Field
Updates on TFC to keep in Mind
Quentin Westberg made his appearance as the starting goalkeeper for TFC after an impressive performance in Seattle while Jordan Hamilton got more of a central attacking role for TFC with Jozy Altidore being injured.
First Half – Promising Start, Ends
with Disastrous Half
TFC started with good possession, Morrow made a good pass,
but was unable to capitalize in the 2nd minute. TFC started strong
in the first few minutes of the game, but for a lot of the game played with poor
form, which looked like it started when Morrow and Bradley collided with each
in the 9th minute.
Portland started a rampage with Blanco cross headed away by
Mavinga in the 10th minute of the game. Blanco then made a good pass
into the middle of the box where Florez headed the ball wide. Blanco also shot
was also skipped wide of the net in the 15th minute.
TFC did fight back in the 18th minute with
Pozuelo who gave a pass to Hamilton in the 18th minute and was fouled.
The free kick by Pozuelo was straight to the goalkeeper who could only push it
out of bounds for a TFC corner. That mistake cost Portland as Pozuelo’s corner
kick, where Zavaleta’s header was stopped but Johnathan Osorio got the rebound
and scored the goal to make it 1-0 TFC.
Unfortunately, TFC’s defense was unprepared where Chris Mavinga
prevented a golden opportunity for Portland to score in the 21st minute.
Portland then scored an incredible goal in the 22nd
minute and leveled it 1-1 with Bill Tuiloma equalizing the score line with an
amazing shot that Westfield had no chance of stopping. Portland kept on
pressing with Blanco’s shot stopped by Westfield in the 26th minute.
Zavaleta protected a cross, but TFC made too many turnovers, with Morrow and
Bradley making consecutive turnovers and putting their defense under pressure. Portland
has taken control of the game in TFC’s pitch, which is shocking considering how
good TFC has been so far this season.
The one familiar theme so far this season is defense, and
today was a classical example of that. Portland had ample of space on TFC’s side
of the pitch, which should not happen in a home game where Blanco passed it to Diego
Valeri for a shot on goal, Westfield saves it, but this will haunt them later
in the second half.
Second Half – TFC punished for
Defensive Woes
Justin Morrow prevents a breakaway in the 46th
minute. TFC did not learn anything from the first half and continues to look
like the road team in their own pitch. A cross from Delgado to Hamilton, who
passed it to Osorio who could not get the ball and put it in the back of the
net. Hamilton shot straight to the keeper in the 54th minute.
Both teams traded yellow cards with one given to TFC’s Chris
Mavinga in the 61st minute and then Jorge Moreira of Portland got a
yellow card in the 67th minute with a reckless tackle.
As the game went on, Portland still had tons of space
against TFC’s backline. Furthermore, TFC looked uncomfortable with the ball,
unable to pull a set of passes together in Portland’s half of the field.
As I said before, the amount of space TFC gave up will end
up haunting TFC and it did in the 70th minute, where Valerie crossed
to Blanco and the amazing cross and header gave Portland a deserved 1-2 lead at
BMO Field in Toronto.
TFC made some substitutions, but it was all for naught, Boyd
and Akinola was unable to turn the game around, although Akinola had a golden
chance when he messed up a perfect cross from Pozuelo and skied the ball above
the crossbar.
TFC’s last chance came from another cross from Pozuelo to
Chapman who completely missed the net.
After a corner, TFC was unable to get back in defense,
something in which the commentators agreed should never happen to a home team
in MLS. Luckily for TFC, even though Chara was in a breakaway his shot narrowly
missed the back corner of the net. However, this did not matter as TFC still
lost to 1-2 to the Portland Timbers in what is easily seen as the worst match
in TFC’s young MLS season.
What Comes Next for both the Toronto
Football Club and the Portland Timbers
TFC missed a chance to climb the table in MLS as they
currently sit fourth behind co-leaders DC United and BMO Derby rivals the
Montreal Impact who both have 17 points. They also have the Philadelphia Union
who are now 1 point ahead of TFC. TFC have three games in hand of NYCFC and the
Montreal Impact and two games in hand of the Philadelphia Union. Things still
look rosy for TFC, but their next two games are on the road against Orlando
City SC on Saturday, May. 4th, followed by a Wednesday, May. 8th
game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against defending MLS Champions, Atlanta United
FC.
Portland after losing five straight games have won
back-to-back games in Columbus and in Toronto. They have 7 points in MLS right
now and are playing in the road against Real Salt Lake in Saturday, May. 4th
and in Friday, May. 10th will face their heated Cascadia rivals the
Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place.
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