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Result of the Tuesday July 15th, 2008 international friendly between MLS Toronto FC and Independiente (Argentina) played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30pm.
Toronto FC (all red, white numbers)
................18 Brian Edwards
24 Tyler Hemming...29 Nana Attakora-Gyan...3 Julius James...27 Gabe Gala
15 Tyler Rosenlund...17 Joey Melo...6 Maurice Edu (cpt)...7 Abdus Ibrahim
............23 Jarrod Smith...96 Jeff Cunningham
22 David Monsalve (gk)...2 Gerald Ladiyou (mid)...4 Marco Velez (def)...5 Kevin Harmse (mid)...8 Murphy Wiredu (fwd)...10 Rohan Rocketts (mid)...19 Frank Jonke (fwd)...36 Kilian Elkinson (mid)
team officials:...head coach Chris Cummins (the way it was announced tonight)
Independiente (white socks and shirts, black shorts, red numbers)
..................1 Fabian Assmann
4 Ricardo Moreira...22 Damian Ledesma...20 Leandro Gioda...33 Matias DiGregoria
15 Hernan Fredes...5 Lucas Pusineri...18 Mariano Herron (cpt)...31 Emanuel Centurion
................7 Ismael Sosa...9 Pablo Vitti
Subs:...12 Adrian Gabbarini (gk)...8 Gaston Machin...14 Enzo Bruno...16 Adrian Calello...23 Patricio Rodriguez...26 Juan Caracoche...28 Cristian Ledesma...37 Diego Churin
team officials:...head coach Cristian Saavedra
Game officials:...referee Alex Prus...referee's assistants Joe Fletcher and Amato DeLuca...fourth official Justin Tasev...(all black, neon green trim)
1st Half:...game starts 7:48pm...TFC defend south end on this hot, humid evening with the bright sun in the north west.
40 sec...Ind DiGregorio low cross from 20 yards near left end line bounces to goalie.
1 min...Ind Sosa low cross from right is deflected for cornerkick.
2 min...Ind player's cornerkick from right is knocked wide right for goalkick.
4 min...TFC Ibrahim hooks pass over to TFC Smith and shot from 7 yards knocked wide right with the goalie beat.
7 min...Ind defender heads ball over own net to prevent shot on net.
7 min...TFC Rosenlund cornerkick from right. TFC player heads ball back to left and Ind player heads it away.
8 min...Ind YELLOW card...Emanuel Centurion for kicking ball away near center line after whistle blown.
10 min...TFC YELLOW card...Tyler Rosenlund for sliding tackle at center line.
12 min...Ind Fredes kicks ball into TFC net after whistle.
14 min...TFC goalie charges out of box to stop and clear bad back pass from defender.
15 min...TFC Cunningham has 12 yard shot deflected wide left by charging goalie.
15 min...TFC Rosenlund cornerkick from left is low and cleared by nearest defender.
16 min...TFC Smith can't get away good shot from 12 yards and TFC Edu shot from 12 yards from right deflected wide for cornerkick.
16 min...TFC Melo cornerkick from right is cleared by defenders.
17 min...Ind Centurion cornerkick has ball headed across box back to him and his recross is caught by goalie who hands on as he's bumped into.
19 min...Ind Sosa pushed from behind by TFC Gala on rush into TFC box but referee waves off penalty kick. Sosa is injured on play.
22 min...Ind Vitti gets pass and 6 yard shot is deflected by defender running even with him.
22 min...Ind Centurion cornerkick from left is over players in box and TFC earns throw-in when ball rolls out.
23 min...Ind Sosa runs on left wing and crosses and TFC James heads ball out of box.
25 min...Ind ball rolls over end line too far for charging Ind Centurion.
26 min...TFC goalie 75 yard freekick has ball over TFC Smith and bounces for goalkick wide right.
29 min...Ind YELLOW card...Ricardo Moreira for pulling down TFC Ibrahim breaking out over center line.
30 min...TFC James 60 yard freekick from left is caught by goalie on edge of box and he's pushed over.
31 min...TFC Attokora-Gyan clears ball on edge of TFC box as charging goalie wouldn't have beaten Ind player in time to grab it.
32 min...TFC Hemming long throw-in from right corner flag has TFC player head ball wide right from end line.
34 min...Ind Vitti wins possession off TFC defender and 28 yard blast up middle is over net.
35 min...TFC Melo 40 yard freekick from right is bent to left but defenders head away.
35 min...TFC Ibrahim blasts 3 yarder over net after goalie dives and palms ball from right across box.
39 min...TFC Melo long pass from 60 yards to charging TFC Smith on right and defender clears cross for cornerkick on right.
40 min...TFC Melo cornerkick from right has TFC Attokora-Gyan head ball but play whistled down for his push off Ind player.
42 min...TFC Melo pushes ball on low roller up middle too far and goalie smothers ball wide right of net.
44 min...Ind Sosa rush on left and TFC Hemming holds him and he falls over on left and can't draw penalty kick.
45 min...Ind Fredes 20 yard low shot through crowd of players and just wide right.
48 min...TFC Rosenlund 35 yard freekick from right sideline has TFC Cunningham leap and head ball wide left from 6 yards.
48 min...half ends 8:36pm.
Halftime: there was no onfield entertainment between halves.
2nd Half:...starts 8:52pm (they didn't start the scoreboard clock right away proving that humans run it just like any of the other leagues I cover)
halftime subs:...Ind Gabbarini replaces Assmann in goal.
47 min...TFC Gala pushes pass left to TFC Ibrahim who crosses from 15 yards and TFC Rosenlund heads ball over net from 8 yards.
48 min...Ind Fredes 25 yard freekick from near right sideline has Ind Gioda head ball low from 10 yards but defender stops.
49 min...Ind Sosa cornerkick from right worked out and cross gives cornerkick when ball knocked out.
50 min...Ind Sosa cornerkick from right has leaping Ind Gioda head ball wide left of net from 10yards.
52 min...Ind sub...Caracoche replaces Pusineri.
53 min...Ind Moreira pushes pass on right ahead to charging Ind Sosa who shoots around TFC James but well wide left of net from 22 yards.
55 min...Ind Sosa backheel pass to Ind Moreira backheels to Ind Moreira who taps it to Ind Vitti who blasts shot over net from 10 yards.
56 min...TFC sub...Ricketts replaces Ibrahim.
58 min...Ind Centurion 35 yard freekick from left is wide right of net.
60 min...TFC Rosenlund 35 yard freekick from right has leaping TFC Attokora-Gyan head across Ind box from 10 yards on left and defender clears.
61 min...Ind sub...Rodriguez replaces Centurion.
62 min...TFC sub...Jonke replaces Cunningham.
63 min...Ind Vitti blast from 28 yards hits bar and deflects back to him but he's checked off ball at 7 yards.
65 min...TFC Ricketts cross from 20 yards has TFC Smith knock ball wide from 10 yards. TFC Jonke had ball roll through his legs at 8 yards just before that.
66 min...Ind Pablo Vitti GOAL...Ind Ismael Sosa 35 yard freekick from left has Ind player head ball across goal from right and Vitti from 10 yards kicks ball to right corner of net beyond goalie Brian Edwards.
68 min...Ind Herron gets short cross from left and his 30 yard recross is well wide right for goalkick.
69 min...Ind Rodriguez rolls 25 yarder shot wide left.
70 min...TFC sub...Wiredu replaces Smith.
72 min...Ind sub...Machin replaces Fredes.
73 min...Ind Moreira outjumps TFC Ricketts and ball back to Ind goalie.
73 min...Ind Machin rush down middle and rolls pass to Ind Vitti who takes too long and two sliding TFC defenders block his shot from 20 yards.
75 min...Ind Sosa rush down right and cross rolled from 20 yards has goalie pick up roller.
76 min...TFC sub...Ladyiyou replaces Melo.
77 min...TFC Edu shoots wide from near end line 10 yards on right after charging to bounced pass.
79 min...Ind Machin cross from right has TFC Attokora-Gyan head ball out left side of box.
80 min...Ind defender heads ball back to goalie to beat TFC Rosenlund from getting to it.
80 min...TFC Rosenlund 35 yard freekick down middle has TFC James duck behind defenders and head 10 yarder just over bar.
81 min...Ind sub...Churin replaces Sosa.
82 min...Ind DiGregorio cross from left corer deflects for cornerkick.
83 min...Ind Rodriguez cornerkick from left has goalie catch ball in crowd of players in box.
83 min...TFC goalie charges out to smother ball and Ind Rodriguez tumbles over him.
84 min...Ind DiGregorio injured near center line.
85 min...Ind sub...Calello replaces injured DiGregorio.
87 min...TFC Ricketts cross from 25 yards on left has charging goalie catch wide right of net.
88 min...TFC YELLOW card...Edu for starting a pushing match between players on both teams.
89 min...TFC Ricketts dribbles in from 50 yards and 30 yard blast is high and wide left.
90 min...TFC Attokora-Gyan hurt trying to rescue ball on Ind endline.
91 min...TFC Rosenlund rolls 20 yard shot through crowd of players wide left of goal.
92 min...TFC Ricketts rush on left and shot from 30 yards is wide and high left of net.
93 min...game ends 9:40pm.
Final Score:.........Toronto FC.........0...........Independiente..........1...........
Attendance was announced as 18741. This game was included in the season's ticket package although the visiting team wasn't decided until a few months ago. Toronto FC crowded their fixture schedule once they announced participation in the CONCACAF club team qualifying against Montreal and Vancouver. With them losing in Toronto to Vancouver, it made the rematch in Vancouver more important. Tonight's squad was filled with their reserve players. This game had double prime ticket pricing though. A game in my section costs $60 but if it's a prime game such as against glamour team Los Angeles Galaxy it's $80. This game was priced at $160. I can get to see their reserves games for free right after the main games or the next day and didn't appreciate this. I had some agreements when I posted my opinion to soccer message boards. However, I was glad to see the team was competitive against a team from Argentina. My row stayed half empty during the game. There were some Independiente/Argentina fans in attendance. Most of the ones I recognized wore Argentina national colours rather than Independiente's red devil home kit or white and black road kit. Some of their fans pinned a huge banner at the front of the south stands which is usually the TFC hard core sections.
No regular starters that actually played tonight were in TFC's lineup except Maurice Edu who was the captain tonight. He could be put in tonight's game because he will miss Saturday's game against San Jose Earthquake because he's picked up enough Yellow cards to be suspended. His latest was on last Saturday's game against Chicago Fire.
TFC have brought in players from the CSL league's Italia Shooters before. This game had Frank Jonke, Gerald Ladiyou, and Murphy Wiredu. As mentioned on a message board, it's probably because TFC's former goaltending coach Carmen Isacco has gone back to being the head coach of Italia Shooters and recommends these players.
There was announcement that tonight's game would be for any kind of 'Cup' unlike last week's exhibition against Pachuca which had a tie game result in a Penalty shootout for the winner to claim the Carlsberg Cup. Tonight's Carlsberg Man of the Match was announced as Maurice Edu.
'Bitchy' the hawk was anchored to the top of the stands so there were no birds flying near the field unlike last week.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
Stats from Independiente web site (Toronto FC didn't publish one). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Toronto FC 0: 18-Brian Edwards; 3-Julius James, 27-Gabe Gala, 29-Nana Attakora-Gyan, 24-Tyler Hemming; 6-Maurice Edu, 17-Joey Melo, 15-Tyler Rosenlund, 7-Abbe Ibrahim; 96-Jeff Cunningham, 23-Jarrod Smith. DT: Mo Johnston. Suplentes: 22-David Edwards, 4-Marco Velez, 5-Kevin Harmse, 10-Rohan Ricketts, 36-Kilian Elkinson. Independiente 1: 1-Walter Assmann; 4-Ricardo Moreira, 20-Leandro Gioda, 22-Damián Ledesma; 15-Hernán Fredes, 5-Lucas Pusineri 18-Mariano Herrón, 31-Emanuel Centurión, 33-Matías Di Gregorio; 7-Ismael Sosa, 9-Pablo Vitti. DT: Cristian Saavedra. Suplentes: 14-Enzo Bruno, 28-Christian Ledesma. GOL: ST 23' Pablo Vitti. Amonestados: PT 9' Emanuel Centurión, 11' Tyler Rosenlund, 30' Ricardo Moreira. ST 44' Maurice Edu, 45' Damián Ledesma. Cambios: ST: 12-Adrián Gabbarini x Fabián Assmann, 8' 26-Juan Caracoche x Lucas Pusineri, 13' 10-Rohan Ricketts x Abbe Ibrahim, 19' 19-Frank Jonke x Jeff Cunningham, 20' 23-Patricio Rodríguez x Emanuel Centurión, 27' 8-Murphy Wiredu x Jarrod Smith, 29' 8-Gastón Machín x Hernán Fredes, 32' 2-Gerard Ladiyou x Joey Melo, 38' 37-Diego Churín x Ismael Sosa, 40' 16-Adrián Calello x Matías Di Gregorio, 44' 32-Leolel Ríos x Pablo Vitti. Arbitro: Alex Prus Asistente 1: Joe Fletcher Asistente 2: Amato DeLuca Espectadores: 18.741 All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
About six of the 'regular' players were kept game-fit by having to run up and down the stairs of the stands.
TFC starters
Independiente starters
Independiente Damian Ledesma #22 moves the ball out.
Independiente Emanuel Centurion #31 passes ball off.
Independiente's Matias DiGregorio #33 watches ball rolls out in front of TFC's Jarrod Smith #23.
TFC ready to start the second half
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