April 8, 2007 Chivas USA beats Toronto FC (from Canadian Press)
Toronto FC lose in debut
CARSON, Calif. (CP) - For Toronto FC, the beginning of its first season in Major League Soccer also means the start of a learning process.
Toronto FC officially began its existence with a 2-0 loss to Chivas USA in Saturday night's season opener in front of 14,351 at Home Depot Center.
"Our starting 11 hasn't played together one minute," Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston said. "We gave away the ball too much in the midfield and normally, that's our strength. We had five or six guys who underachieved, and they've been told."
Goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who made 10 saves, elaborated.
"One thing that we need to work on is moving the ball better offensively," Sutton said. "We need to control the play more. We were able to do that somewhat in the back, but in the offensive third, we struggled."
"We need to do some of the little things better. Once we start doing that, I think you'll see success for this squad."
Toronto FC had four chances to score first, but Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan stopped all four attempts for his only four saves of the match.
In the 13th minute, Guzan dived to his left to stop Edson Buddle's six-yard aerial header off Carl Robinson's 27-yard free kick. Buddle's header was the first shot on goal in club history.
Later, in the 16th minute, Paulo Nagamura dispossessed Chivas USA's Jesse Marsch and struck a rising 20-yard shot that Guzan deflected with one hand. Buddle tried to convert the rebound from eight yards, but Guzan blocked Buddle's shot.
Then in the 30th minute, former DC United star Alecko Eskandarian stole the ball from Chivas USA's Lawson Vaughn and fired a 13-yard shot that Guzan deflected with both hands.
Buddle also had a shot sail over the crossbar in the 39th minute.
"We should have ended up winning," Toronto FC defender Jim Brennan said. "We had five chances to put it in the back of the net. There's five goals and it's 5-0 at halftime."
Ante Razov gave Chivas USA a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute. Maykel Galindo received a chipped ball from Sacha Kljestan, drew goalkeeper Greg Sutton out of the net and then passed to an open Razov, who converted from eight yards. The goal was the 99th of Razov's MLS career.
Razov is one of eight players to have played in all 12 MLS seasons. With his next goal, he will join Real Salt Lake's Jason Kreis (108 career goals) and D.C. United striker Jaime Moreno (105) as the only members of MLS' 100-goal club. Kreis and Moreno have also played in each of the league's 12 seasons.
Kljestan ended the scoring in the 87th minute with a 24-yard shot inside the left post.
Chivas USA opened the season with a win for the second consecutive year. After winning just four games in 2005, Chivas won 3-0 in its first game in 2006 and went on to reach the MLS playoffs.
Defender Maycoll Canizalez received Toronto FC's first yellow card in the 61st minute. Nagamura followed suit in the 77th minute.
Toronto FC's first official starting lineup included Sutton; defenders Brennan, Canizalez, Andrew Boyens and Marco Reda; midfielders Robinson, Nagamura, Andy Welsh and Richard Mulrooney, and Buddle and Eskandarian up front.
Forward Conor Casey replaced Welsh in the 65th minute, and defender Adam Braz entered the game in the 76th minute for Reda, who left with a leg cramp.
Brennan, Braz, Reda and Sutton also play for Canada's national team.
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