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May 17, 2008 MLS Toronto FC vs Columbus Crew (by Rocket Robin)
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Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)
............1 Greg Sutton
16 Marvell Wynne...4 Marco Velez...14 Tyrone Marshall...11 Jim Brennan (cpt)
10 Rohan Ricketts...33 Carl Robinson...6 Maurice Edu...32 Laurent Robert
.............20 Amado Guevara...9 Danny Dichio
Subs:...18 Brian Edwards (gk)...3 Julius James (def)...5 Kevin Harmse (mid)...12 Todd Dunivant (def)...23 Jarrod Smith (fwd)...28 Olivier Tebily (def)...
96 Jeff Cunningham (fwd)
team officials:...head coach John Carver
Columbus Crew (all yellow, black names and numbers)
..............1 William Hesmer
2 Frankie Hejduk (cpt)...14 Chad Marshall...5 Danny O'Rourke...23 Ezra Hendrickson
12 Eddie Gaven...3 Brad Evans...16 Brian Carroll...19 Robbie Rogers
............10 Alejandro Moreno...7 Guillermo Barros Schelotto
Subs:...30 Andy Gruenebaum (gk)...6 Andy Iro (def)...9 Jason Garey (fwd)...17 Emmanuel Ekpo (mid)...20 Nicholas Hernandez (fwd)...24 Jed Zayner (def)...
32 Steven Lenhart (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Sigi Schmid
1st Half:...game starts 4:14pm...TFC defend south end on this bright warm day with a strong breeze from the west.
1 min...TFC Guevara 40 yard cross from left is well over net.
2 min...TFC Guevara 45 yard freekick down middle is headed away.
3 min...TFC Dichio can't get shot away when he splits defence running for ball and ball hits him on shoulder just inside box and deflects out of box on left. He controls ball on left end line and passes back to TFC Robert who touches off to TFC Wynne who runs down right and crosses from near end line and CC defender deflects over end line.
4 min...TFC Robert cornerkick from right has defender head ball away for throw-in on right.
4 min...TFC Robert throw-in from right has TFC Ricketts forward header into box and TFC Guevara shot in CC box is blocked by diviing goalie and defender clears away.
4 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is well over players in box and bounces for throw-in.
6 min...TFC Ricketts cross from 30 yards on right has defender head ball over end line.
8 min...CC Evans and CC Carroll crash together at center line and give up possession.
9 min...TFC Dichio can't get to ball crossed into box by TFC Robert from left and passes back from near right cornerflag. TFC players can't get ball back into CC box.
13 min...TFC Robert runs down middle and passes forward to TFC Dichio who gets checked off ball on right side of box.
15 min...TFC Guevara shot wide right from 15 yards after getting pass from center.
16 min...TFC Ricketts 25 yard cross from left is well over net.
18 min...CC Carroll cornerkick from right has TFC Robert block on edge of box.
21 min...TFC goalie catches 25 yard shot from right.
24 min...CC Rogers steps around defender to take pass and cuts in 12 yard shot that beats goalie but TFC Marshall saves 3 yards off the goal line.
25 min...TFC Edu injured just outside CC box.
27 min...TFC Marshall holds off CC forward to prevent shot on edge of box.
29 min...TFC Brennan dragged down by CC Hejduk on left side of box and earns freekick.
30 min...TFC Guevara 20 yard freekick from left has defender block and TFC Edu shank rebound well over net wide left from 12 yards.
31 min...CC Schelotto 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Dichio head ball up and TFC Robert clear.
31 min...TFC Ricketts cross from left sideline is over box and no TFC players were there to play ball.
34 min...CC Rogers 24 yard cross from left is well over net.
37 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left has ball popped up and cleared.
37 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is cleared from box.
38 min...TFC Robert rush on right has sliding goalie push ball over end line.
39 min...TFC Robert cornerkick from right has defender kick ball away. TFC Marshall is injured on the play.
43 min...CC Schelotto cornerkick from left has defender head ball away.
45 min...TFC Velez 60 yard shot up middle bounces to goalie.
46 min...TFC Edu botches pass back but goalie picks up ball...no call for a back pass.
48 min...CC Rogers cross from left has defender head ball over end line on right side as he outlept three CC players charging into box.
48 min...half ends 5:02pm with no time for cornerkick.
Halftime entertainment--contestants kick a ball to knock empty beer cartons off a table. It was really too windy to play this game and the cartons were blowing off the table on their own.
2nd Half:...starts 5:17pm.
45 min...CC Gaven time to tee up 20 yard shot but blasts well high and left of net.
48 min...TFC Velez trouble spotting ball but finally 55 yard freekick is just over TFC Dichio's head on edge of box.
50 min...TFC Ricketts 25 yard shot deflects off defender outside box and bounces to goalie.
52 min...TFC Marshall ends pressure with 10 yard blast from left across face of goal but wide right. TFC Guevara had taken midair shot deflected up middle.
53 min...CC Morena 15 yard shot from right is wide left.
55 min...CC Schelotto injured at TFC 35 yard left sideline.
57 min...CC Schelotto 40 yard freekick from left sideline has CC Rogers in middle tip 20 yard header that's caught by goalie.
58 min...TFC Guevara 35 yard shot up middle is well over net.
59 min...TFC Robert rush along edge of box from right and 20 yard hard shot rolls off left goalpost and cleared.
62 min...TFC sub...Cunningham replaces Dichio.
64 min...TFC Edu 30 yard one-touch shot up middle is wide right.
67 min...TFC Edu rolls weak 22 yard shot up middle for goalie when TFC Robert sets him up for shot.
67 min...CC Gaven called offside on give and go up right.
68 min...CC Schelotto cornerkick from right is over players in box. CC player heads ball down but play whistled down.
71 min...CC Schelotto 40 yard freekick from left has ball knocked down but CC player slies to ball and pops up 20 yard shot that's caught by goalie.
72 min...TFC Cunningham gets to TFC player's popped up header to edge of CC box and kicks ball over head with back to goal but trips up when he turns around and ball bounces for goalkick.
75 min...CC goalie clears backpass off charging TFC Cunningham and ball deflects wide left for goalkick.
76 min...TFC Cunningham deflects ball in CC box away from net but offside flag was up anyway.
77 min...CC goalie catches 30 yard cross from right sideline.
77 min...TFC Ricketts low 20 yard kick saved by sprawling goalie when given pass on edge of box.
79 min...TFC Roberts rolls 22 yard shot up middle to goalie.
80 min...CC Moreno injured at TFC 40 yards on left.
.............TFC Edu was injured a minute earlier at the TFC 40 yard line but the opposite side and play carried on.
81 min...CC sub...Zayner replaces Hendrickson.
82 min...TFC sub...Harmse replaces still injured Edu.
84 min...CC Moreno runs up left into box but pushes ball too far ahead and TFC goalie dives on ball.
85 min...TFC Cunningham on 1 on 3 rush is eventually ran off the ball in CC box.
86 min...TFC sub...Smith replaces Ricketts.
86 min...CC Schelotto 25 yard freekick deflects through wall and defender blocks rebound attempt.
89 min...CC YELLOW card...Schelotto for diving on run up middle.
92 min...CC sub...Hernandez replaces Schelotto.
94 min...game ends 6:06pm.
Final Score:.......Toronto FC.........0..........Columbus Crew.........0..........
Carlsberg Man of the Match (who always is a TFC player) was announced as Carl Robinson.
Attendance wasn't announced today but the league reported 20358. The weather was perfect in temperature and a bright sunny day in contrast to the all day rain that was forecast for Saturday all throughout the week.
Greg Sutton earned the shutout without having too much to do. He was beaten once at 24 minutes when Robbie Rogers got a shot past him but Tyrone Marshall was behind him to save the ball at the three yard line.
William Hesmer earned the shutout for the Crew and had the post to thank when Laurent Robert rushing along the edge of the box blasted a low shot that deflected off the left goalpost. He was also aided by the TFC inaccurate shooting and some flubbed and soft shots that rolled directly to him.
Jeff Cunningham came into today's game at 62 minutes replacing the slightly injured Danny Dichio and made his presence felt by his hustling and speed. He also played 73 minutes of the Reserves held just a half hour later so it was more than the equivalet of a full game today.
The game was rescheduled from 3:30pm to its new time of 4:00pm so the CBC could show the playoff hockey game. The broadcast came on one minute into the game but fortunately at home I used the CBC arts channel Bold which didn't have the hockey and had a pregame show. Being there early made sure I got a TFC car flag from today's game sponser McDonalds although I've been warned that I could have someone break it off if I do put it on my car.
Toronto FC stretch their undefeated streak to five games although the last two games were ties on home grounds. I thought they would win today even from their strong early start through the Crew holds the best record in the league. Toronto had the best scoring chances. They looked a lot better than their first game of the season against the Crew when they lost 2-0 as the visitors.
MLS statistics from MLSnet.com Columbus Crew (6-1-1) vs. Toronto FC (3-2-2) May 17, 2008 -- BMO Field Scoring Summary: Columbus Crew -- William Hesmer, Ezra Hendrickson (Jed Zayner 81), Chad Marshall, Danny O'Rourke, Frankie Hejduk, Robbie Rogers, Brad Evans, Eddie Gaven, Brian Carroll, Alejandro Moreno, Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Nicolas Hernandez 92+). Substitutes Not Used: Emmanuel Ekpo, Jason Garey, Andy Gruenebaum, Andy Iro, Steven Lenhart Toronto FC -- Greg Sutton, Marvell Wynne, Tyrone Marshall, Marco Velez, Jim Brennan, Rohan Ricketts (Jarrod Smith 87), Maurice Edu (Kevin Harmse 83), Carl Robinson, Laurent Robert, Amado Guevara, Danny Dichio (Jeff Cunningham 63). Substitutes Not Used: Todd Dunivant, Brian Edwards, Julius James, Olivier Tebily Toronto FC Columbus Crew total shots: 14 (4 tied with 3) 7 (Eddie Gaven 3) shots on goal: 6 (Rohan Ricketts 2) 2 (Eddie Gaven 1, Robbie Rogers 1) fouls: 14 (Jim Brennan 4) 6 (Frankie Hejduk 3) offsides: 0 2 (Guillermo Barros Schelotto 1, Eddie Gaven 1) corner kicks: 6 (Amado Guevara 3, Laurent Robert 3) 3 (Guillermo Barros Schelotto 3) saves: 2 (Greg Sutton 2) 6 (William Hesmer 6) Misconduct Summary: CLB -- Guillermo Barros Schelotto (caution; Diving, Exaggeration) 90 referee: Kevin Stott Referee's Assistants: George Gansner; Darren Clark 4th official: Mauricio Navarro time of game: 1:50 attendance: 20,358 weather: Sunny -and- 60 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
Toronto FC starters
Crew starters
TFC defend against a first half corner kick.
Second half kick off.
Amado Guevara leads rush out of TFC end.
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