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Result of the Wednesday May 16, 2007 MLS game between Toronto FC and Houston Dynamo played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm.
Toronto FC (red socks and shirts, white shorts, names and numbers)
...............................1 Greg Sutton
16 Marvell Wynne...2 Andrew Boyens...11 Jim Brennan (cpt)...8 Kevin Goldthwaite
5 Ronnie O'Brien...33 Carl Robinson...6 Maurice Edu...7 Andy Welsh
..................12 Edson Buddle...Alecko Eskandarian
Subs:...18 Srdjan Djekanovic (gk)...3 Adam Braz (def)...13 Chris Pozniak (def)...15 David Guzman (mid)...20 Andrea Lombardo (fwd)...26 Cristian Nunez (mid)...27 Gabe Gala (def)
team officials:...head coach Mo Johnston
Houston Dynamo (white socks and shirts, orange shorts, black names and numbers)
.............................18 Pat Onstad
30 Richard Mulrooney...5 Ryan Cochrane...2 Eddie Robinson...24 Wade Barrett (cpt)
9 Brian Mullan...13 Ricardo Clark...14 Dwayne De Rosario...11 Brad Davis
...................33 Joseph Ngwenya...25 Brian Ching
Subs:...1 Zach Wells (gk)...4 Patrick Ianni (def)...6 Kelly Gray (def)...7 Chris Wondolowski (mid)...16 Craig Waibel (def)...22 Stuart Holden (mid)...26 Corey Ashe (mid)
team officials:...head coach Dominic Kinnear
Game officials:...referee Terry Vaughan...referee's assistants Greg Barkley and Craig Lowry...fourth official Carol-Ann Chenard...(blue shirts, black shorts and socks)
1st Half:...game starts 7:11pm...cool weather, wet field, raining. TFC defend south end.
10 sec...HD De Rosario 22 yard shot blocked by defender on edge of box.
1 min...HD Davis 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Brennan head away behind line for cornerkick.
1 min...HD Davis cornerkick from right has goalie leap to catch ball in crowd of players in box.
5 min...HD De Rosario threads pass through defenders at 30 yards but HD player running to it is offside.
8 min...HD Ching run on left wing and cross from end line is knocked away by TFC Wynne.
8 min...HD De Rosario throw-in from left side has ball knocked back to him and he crosses from near right end line which goalie catches but whistled down as it had bent out of bounds.
9 min...TFC O'Brien 40 yard freekick from right has leaping defender head ball out of box.
10 min...HD Davis 35 yard freekick has goalie drift to left to bat ball away from top left corner of net for cornerkick.
11 min...HD player's cornerkick from left has ball chested down by leaping HD Robinson and bounces sharply that goalie misses but TFC O'Brien standing at left post. clears ball off line.
11 min...TFC goalie charges to left to smother ball that HD Davis had headed down and ran in from end line on left. Goalie can't hold on and ball trickles over end line for cornerkick.
11 min...HD player's cornerkick from left has leaping goalie punch clear of crowd of players in box.
12 min...TFC Edu gets ball on break from 30 yards as TFC Buddle passes to him from right and he runs down middle and chips ball wide left from 18 yards while holding off defender.
13 min...TFC O'Brien from 45 yards on right end line blasts long shot that retreating goalie catches under bar.
17 min...TFC Welsh on left wing crosses from 40 yards has HD defender head away from edge of box.
18 min...TFC Goldthwaite from 45 yards on left crosses and HD Cochrane heads away from edge of box.
20 min...TFC Goldthwaite cross from 35 yards near left sideline has ball drift high and bounces wide right of net.
21 min...TFC Welsh gets through ball on left wing and crosses from 20 yards too far over box that HD De Rosario on right end line.
23 min...HD Clark centered pass from right and he turns and gets 25 yard blast straight at goalie.
25 min...Toronto FC Andy Welsh GOAL...TFC Ronnie O'Brien takes 30 yard freekick from left side that curves over two man wall and Welsh running in from left side ahead of a crowd of players leaps up and heads in 5 yarder to left side of box beyond goalie Pat Onstad.
26 min...HD Davis on left sideline crosses into box and sliding TFC Wynne blocks ball and jumps up to stop ball dribbling behind end line and boots ball upfield.
27 min...TFC Welsh on left from 25 yards centers pass to streaking TFC Eskandarian and his shot from 10 yards near left end line deflects off sliding defender and goalie sliding on left gets hand to it and ball pops up and ball bounces up and through goalmouth and HD Barrett clears ball upfield from right end line.
28 min...HD Mullan run on right wing has his low cross into box cleared by TFC defender.
28 min...HD Mullan cross from right into box has leaping HD Davis not able to fully connect on header from 8 yards and ball pops up and through box and defender clears upfield.
31 min...TFC O'Brien 35 yard freekick from right is over players on edge of box and caught by goalie near right post.
33 min...HD De Rosario dribbles ball down left wing 30 yards but cross from left edge of box is blocked by TFC Boyens.
34 min...TFC Welsh steals ball off HD Cochrane who slipped on wet turf at 25 yards on left and runs into box and rolls ball across box but hits foot of HD Robinson as he tried pass to TFC Eskandarian and HD Robinson clears.
35 min...HD Mulrooney cross from 25 yards on right has TFC Boyens head ball out of box.
36 min...HD Mullan on right crosses into box from 20 yards and HD Davis blasts 10 yard shot that flying goalie bats down on right post.
37 min...HD Davis on right side 15 yards outside box backheels pass to charging HD Mullan who takes ball and low crosses from right end line and TFC Brennan clears from box.
37 min...HD Mulrooney rolls shot into box from 30 yards on right and goalie steps wide right to pick up ball.
38 min...TFC Eskandarian 30 yard shot up middle hits foot of TFC Buddle at 20 yards and trickles into box for goalie to pick up.
38 min...HD Ching run in middle passes wide left to HD Davis who crosses near end line and TFC Boyens pops up header that TFC Goldthwaite kick away ball from right side of box.
39 min...HD Clarke cross from near right end line blocked by TFC defender.
40 min...TFC Boyens get foot in to break up HD rush at TFC 25 yards on left but ball centered to HD Ngwenya who pushes ball from 20 yards too far forward and goalie has easy pick up.
41 min...TFC player's long throw-in from left side one bounces over end line for goalkick.
42 min...TFC YELLOW card...Brennan for bump tackle on HD De Rosario just outside center circle. Referee's whistle broke up a possible HD breakaway into TFC end.
43 min...HD Mullan chips 30 yard ball from right onto top of TFC net.
44 min...HD Mulrooney crosses in from 20 yards on right has TFC Brennan in box head ball away.
44 min...TFC Goldthwaite injures HD Mullan on sliding tackle near right side of TFC box.
46 min...end 7:57pm.
Halftime entertainment:...picking up Pizza boxes and kicking a soccer ball sponsered by Pizza Pizza. This is the same entertainment as at Centennial Stadium for the Toronto Lynx over the years. On Saturday I saw the same kind of relay race but it involved children. The 'winner' celebrated a year's worth of free pizza (OK a bigger prize than at Lynx games) by diving head first and sliding across the turf on the wet grounds.
2nd Half:...start 8:15pm.
45 min...HD Davis gets away after two passes after kickoff but TFC O'Brien blocks his shot from 22 yards on left but ball rolls out for cornerkick.
45 min...HD Davis cornerkick from left is into box where leaping HD Ching kicks ball over net from 8 yards.
46 min...HD Davis on left curls in cross to middle from 45 yards but ball bounces about two steps ahead of charging HD Ching on 10 yards into box and rolls for goalkick.
46 min...HD Welsh cross from left side edge of box has HD Cochrane head ball away.
47 min...HD Welsh near left edge of box back heel chips ball up for HD Goldthwaite who chests ball down but over end line.
47 min...HD Ngwenya gets ball on break on right wing on long ball from own end and races in with defenders closing from behind shoots roller wide left from 20 yards.
48 min...TFC Eskandarian on run down left has ball checked away but it rolls to center for TFC Edu who sends short chip to Eskandarian who has rushed into box and he can't get away shot as he's tackled in box by HD Clark jostling him.
50 min...TFC Wynne gets hold of partially cleared ball at center line and runs up middle and unleashes 25 yard low blast through HD Robinson's legs that sliding goalie pushes wide right for cornerkick.
50 min...TFC O'Brien cornerkick from right is over players in box.
51 min...HD Ngwenya gets long pass up left side and when TFC Brennan slips he ends up on a breakaway from 30 yards. His 12 yard shot from left is low and wide right.
53 min...HD Ching sidesteps tackle on left side and low cross from 20 yards near right edge of box has HD Ngwenya get foot to ball although facing the wrong way and ball squirts to center where HD Barrett is pulled back from getting away shot and he falls over but ball cleared without call.
53 min...TFC Eskandarian run up middle from center line but bumped off ball by HD Robinson and he turns and pulls down HD Robinson away from ball at 35 yards.
53 min...TFC YELLOW card...Eskandarian for his part on that last play.
56 min...TFC O'Brien long 50 yard high boot into box has goalie drift wide left to catch ball.
56 min...HD Davis low cross from 30 yards on left has TFC defender easily clear from box.
57 min...HD Mulrooney boots in 45 yarder that TFC Boyens heads out of box.
57 min...HD De Rosario run up middle and passes off to HD Mullan who makes sliding kick from 15 yards that defender blocks and deflects for cornerkick. TFC Edu had been injured earlier in the play when he tried a sliding tackle and got stepped on at TFC 40 yard line.
59 min...HD Davis cornerkick from right has ball caught by leaping goalie who's jumping backwards so he drops ball to make sure it's not over line on short right side and pick it up again.
62 min...TFC Welsh run up left sideline and low cross into box cleared away by defender on pop up and same defender stops 20 yard shot.
63 min...HD De Rosario on right cuts in 22 yard shot from edge of box that rolls past goalie diving forward and ball rolls wide left for goalkick a step ahead of charging HD Ching.
65 min...TFC sub...Lombardo replaces Eskandarian.
67 min...TFC O'Briend low cornerkick from right has nearest HD defender on short side clear for throw-in.
67 min...HD sub...Holden replaces Ngwenya.
67 min...TFC Buddle receives throw-in and cross from left end line has defender head ball away.
67 min...HD Ching on left edge of box dekes by TFC Boyens but he recoves to poke ball for cornerkick.
68 min...HD Davis cornerkick from left has charging HD player flick head ball across box for HD De Rosario to take 8 yard shot but blocked point blank by TFC Edu. TFC Goldthwaite was injured on play by elbow.
70 min...TFC O'Brien crosses from right 35 yards to left side of box where TFC Buddle pops up header and HD defender heads away.
70 min...TFC Brennan just inside box clears away cross from right sideline from 35 yards.
71 min...TFC Goldthwaite throw-in from left has defender clear from edge of box.
72 min...TFC sub...Pozniak replaces O'Brien.
73 min...HD Davis 35 yard freekick up middle drifts right but goalie punches ball away from head of TFC defender. HD Holden wins ball on right sideline and gets away cross near corner flag to HD De Rosario whose shot from right edge of box is just wide of right post.
75 min...HD YELLOW card...Robinson for roughing TFC player although he won throw-in.
76 min...TFC Lombardo shot from 20 yards on right blocked by leg of HD player and ball cleared.
76 min...HD De Rosario crosses in from right end line and TFC Brennan blasts away clearance on short right side.
77 min...HD player's cornerkick from right is cleared by TFC Brennan inside box.
77 min...TFC Buddle run on right dribbles by defender and cuts to center of field but shot rushed from 25 yards by another defender and sails well wide left of net.
78 min...HD De Rosario 20 yard shot from right is just over bar.
80 min...HD Mullan cuts along edge of 18 yard box but is checked off ball and one pass from TFC Lombardo later TFC Buddle is sent in from center line on breakaway. On one on one on right against goalie he shoots from 10 yards that goalie at 6 yards tips wide right for cornerkick. TFC Lombardo had gotten back into play on left and was open if there'd been a pass one step earlier ahead of defender.
80 min...TFC cornerkick from right is over players in box and bounces left for throw-in.
81 min...HD De Rosario long pass finds HD Barrett at TFC 25 yards on left. His cross into box is popped up and cleared by TFC defence.
82 min...TFC sub...Braz replaces Welsh.
85 min...TFC YELLOW card...Pozniak for sliding tackle on HD Mulrooney after he clears ball from HD 25 yards.
85 min...HD called offside for third time in last four minutes.
86 min...TFC Buddle chips ball into box from 20 yards but charging goalie catches it.
89 min...HD De Rosario on rush on right rolls cross across box but defender partially clears. De Rosario gets ball back and crosses from right and defender heads away. HD Mulrooney crosses from 25 yards on right and ball headed by leaping HD player but rolls over to left end line.
91 min...HD Davis 25 yard shot is low and wide right of net.
92 min...HD Davis crosses in from 30 yards on left that leaping HD Ching pops up on header from 10 yards wide right of net.
92:54 min...game ends.
Final Score:.....Toronto FC.....1......Houston Dynamo......0.....
stats from MLSnet.com Toronto FC Houston Dynamo total shots: 7 (Edson Buddle 2) 13 (Brad Davis 4) shots on goal: 5 (5 tied with 1) 4 (Brad Davis 3) fouls: 23 (Maurice Edu 5) 16 (Brian Ching 4) offsides: 0 4 (Brian Mullan 2) corner kicks: 3 (Ronnie O'Brien 2) 6 (Brad Davis 6) saves: 4 (Greg Sutton 4) 4 (Pat Onstad 4) Misconduct Summary: TOR -- Jim Brennan (caution; Reckless Foul) 43 TOR -- Alecko Eskandarian (caution; Tackle from Behind) 54 HOU -- Eddie Robinson (caution; Game Disrepute) 76 TOR -- Chris Pozniak (caution; Reckless Foul) 86 referee: Terry Vaughn Referee's Assistants: Greg Barkey; Craig Lowry 4th official: Carol-Anne Chenard time of game: 2:01 attendance: 19,123 weather: Rain -and- 42 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
Attendance was announced that for the third time in a row (three games played), the game was a sell out. I'd say that about 30% of the people didn't show up on this weeknight with the weather cold and wet. There was rainfall from before the game right until the end-it was just a variation of how hard it was raining through the game. It varied between a mist to a light rain. Taking notes in the rain was impossible so I just put my pen away and just watched the game. My detailed notes of minute by minute details will be 'faked' by watching the game again from a television recording.
Greg Sutton earned the shutout for the first time this season. Toronto FC had the worst goals against average but has improved when in Saturday's game they only allowed one. Dynamo goalie Pat Onstad was also impressive. The wet field conditions and rain made the goalies send a few more punch-outs rather than catches but I saw very few spilled shots. Both teams had some shots off target or it could have been a 4-4 score.
Andrea Lombardo came in at forward at 65 minutes for Alecko Eskandarian who was on a Yellow card. Lombardo again impressed with his speed and passing ability. He passed forward to Edson Buddle then ran forward to be in the play on a 2 on 1 rush but Buddle ended up taking a shot that goalie Pat Onstad blocked.
Dynamo player Dwayne De Rosario returned to play in his hometown for the first time in many years. Rumour had it that he and friends and family had secured 2000 tickets to cheer him on. There were screams when he got away a shot but overall Toronto FC got the majority of the fan support. He was listed as a midfielder but he had the green light to try his luck. Mostly he dribbled and slipped in passes that his team mates couldn't convert to better chances because of the tight Toronto FC defence. After the game many of the Toronto FC players came over to salute the fans in the end zone and it looked like the #14 of De Rosario was along with them but supporters confirmed it was FC defender Adam Braz who had swapped shirts with De Ro at the end.
Dynamo is the defending league champs and had beaten Toronto FC in a preseason tournament. With some time left in the second half, folks in the end zone started a chant "Houston you have a problem!" which is close to the quote from the movie 'Apollo 13'. Dynamo pushed during the last few minutes of the game with crosses and corner kicks but Toronto finally made their own luck this season by limiting the opponents' chances.
Next game in this prolonged home stand is Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm against DC United. For now, Toronto FC at 2-4 is listed ahead of DC in the standings although DC has played one fewer game.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
Houston Dynamo starters.
Toronto FC starters.
Both teams waiting for a goalkick.
Halftime entertainment included a pizza box race.
TFC players ready for start of 2nd half.
Players shake hands after the game.
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