October 17, 2009 MLS Toronto FC vs Real Salt Lake (by Rocket Robin)

............

Result of the Saturday October 17, 2009 MLS game between Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake played at BMO Field in Toronto at 4:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

........................18 Brian Edwards
............32 Emmanuel Gomez...15 Adrian Serioux...3 Nana Attakora
2 Sam Cronin...20 Amado Guevara...6 Julian de Guzman...11 Jim Brennan (cpt)
..........19 Chad Barrett...14 Dwayne DeRosario...17 O'Brian White

Subs:...1 Ben Dragovan (gk)...4 Nick Garcia (def)...5 Lesly Fellinga (def)...8 Pablo Vitti (fwd)...10 Ali Gerba (fwd)...22 Amadou Sanyang (def)...27 Gabe Gala (def)
team officials:...head coach Chris Cummins

Real Salt Lake (all white, black names and numbers)

.........................18 Nick Rimando
2 Tony Beltran...4 Jamison Olave...6 Nat Borchers...17 Chris Wingert
84 Clint Mathis...11 Javier Morales...5 Kyle Beckerman (cpt)...8 Will Johnson
................16 Fabian Espindola...14 Yra Movsisyan

Subs:...1 Chris Seitz (gk)...3 Robbie Russel (def)...10 Robbie Findley (fwd)...19 Pablo Campos (fwd)...20 Ned Grabavoy (mid)...22 Nelson Gonzalez (mid)...77 Andy Williams (mid)
team officials:...head coach Jason Kreis.

Game officials:...referee Terry Vaughan....referee's assistants Nate Clement and Anthony Vasoli...fourth official Carol-Anne Chenard...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 4:08pm...TFC defend north end on this cool afternoon with a bright sun in the south west.
30 sec...TFC Serioux throw-in from left is caught by goalie in crowd of players.
45 sec...RSL Espindola runs into RSL goalie's long punt upfield and 22 yard shot from left is palmed over net by goalie.
1 min...RSL Morales cornerkick from left is short and RSL Beckerman backheels it on left and Morales gets in second low cross but ball easily cleared. RSL Olave injured in TFC box.
4 min...TFC Brennan rush on left after he takes throw-in is shot over net from 10 yards on sharp left angle.
5 min...TFC White weak shot when he pushes defender off ball to get at a shot from 15 yards is blocked by the defender.
6 min...TFC Brennan shot from 15 yards on left deflects off defender and back off him over end line for goal kick.
7 min...RSL Morales 22 yard shot up middle is blocked by defender at 10 yards.
10 min...TFC DeRosario 35 yard kick up middle is well over net.
12 min...RSL Movsisyan weak 22 yard roller up middle around defender is picked up by goalie.
13 min...RSL Espindola cross from 12 yards on left end line has TFC Attakora head out of box and RSL Beckerman taps ball over to RSL Morales who skies ball well over net from 22 yards.
17 min...TFC DeRosario twist header from 10 yards as he's falling down with pull by RSL Beltran after one-touching cross from right wide left by TFC Barrett.
18 min...TFC YELLOW card...Brennan for trip on RSL Espindola at TFC 20 yards.
19 min...RSL Morales 22 yard freekick from right bends for goalie to catch on right post.
20 min...TFC White rush on right and short cross from 20 yards has leaping TFC Barrett tip kick wide right of net from 8 yards.
23 min...RSL Morales cross from right is too high for leaping RSL Espindola at 10 yards on left.
25 min...RSL Movsisyan gets ball up run up middle stepping around defender and 20 yard kick is stopped by goalie and deflects ball for throw-in.
26 min...RSL short throw-in from near left cornerflag is wasted as ball knocked out for TFC throw-in.
27 min...TFC Guevara 40 yard freekick up centre is caught by goalie before TFC players run into box.
28 min...TFC White cross from left TFC Cronin 20 yard cross from right deflects over head of TFC Barrett at 8 yards on left but TFC wins cornerkick.
29 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left is headed by TFC Gomez at 5 yards on right that deflects off defender for another cornerkick.
30 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right drifts behind net before landing left of net.
31 min...RSL Morales cornerkick from left has deflection off defender caught by goalie.
31 min...TFC fast break out of own end with goalie throwing ball to TFC DeRosario on left side and rolls cross to 30 yards for TFC Barrett. TFC Cronin low shot from right is blocked and cleared by sliding RSL Borchers at 22 yards. Borchers had checked Barrett off ball a few yards upfield knocking ball to Cronin.
32 min...RSL Movsisyan 30 yard shot on rush up left is well wide right.
33 min...TFC Barrett eludes defenders while dribbling in from right side and 20 yard shot down middle is popped up when blocked by defender. TFC Guevara one-touch blasts 8 yarder from right that defender blocks and pops up. RSL goalie punches ball away from 5 yards and TFC Cronin mid-air voleey from 12 yards has TFC Guevara blast 5 yard shot from right that RSL Beckerman blocks with face and deflection clears out of box. TFC deGuzman fluffs on 20 yard shot that catches TFC players offside.
37 min...RSL goalie beats TFC White to ball in box on right that had just deflected back to goalie off RSK Beckerman off 20 yard blast from right by TFC Cronin.
38 min...RSL YELLOW card...Beltran earns it for trip on TFC Barrett at RSL 22 yards.
39 min...TFC Guevara 25 yard freekick hits bar near left corner of net. Ball stays in play and is cleared for a cornerkick when recrossed.
40 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from left has defender head ball across box and bounces for TFC player who knocks ball on edge of right end line for goalkick.
41 min...TFC White leaps for ball sent into RSL box but is called for handball.
42 min...TFC Serioux kicks ball to right sideline ball for throw-in on clearance on edge of TFC box.
43 min...RSL Borchers steals ball from TFC White on rush down right. RSL earns freekick when TFC White retaliates.
44 min...TFC Barrett cross from 35 yards on left has defenders clear from TFC White getting to it inside RSL box.
44 min...RSL Olave hooks ball away on TFC chip into box preventing TFC Barrett from getting to it.
45 min...RSL Movsisyan injured in center circle on head crash with TFC Attakora.
46 min...half ends 4:54pm.

Halftime entertainment...There's a draw for a KIA car. Three finalists are brought over to the north west cornerflag and one of them would win the car. Each contestant drew a transmitter from a sock. First guy pressed his to see if he could get the engine to start. It worked which killed the suspense as he obviously had the winning transmitter. Another promo of Jack Astor's "Eye for the Lame Guy" where a fan is given a bunch of TFC gear to wear. This started rather late in the break but they got it over within six minutes.

2nd Half:...starts 5:10pm.
45 min...TFC attakora checks RSL Movsisyan off ball on run down left at 25 yards.
46 min...TFC Jim Brennan GOAL...TFC Emmanuel Gomez long cross through middle of field from 55 yards on right has TFC Chad Barrett kick 14 yarder that's saved by goalie's block at 10 yards but Brennan gets to rebound at 12 yards beyond fallen goalie and shoots low roller into into low right corner of net with RSL Olave sliding over but just misses getting a piece of the ball.
47 min...RSL goalie leaps on edge of box to catch ball ahead of charging TFC Barrett getting to chipped pass.
48 min...TFC Brennan on rush up left wing centers low cross from 25 yards into RSL box but defender clears.
49 min...TFC White rush up middle and 8 yard shot tipped wide right by RSL Olava for cornerkick.
50 min...TFC Guevara short cornerkick from right has ball passed back to him for recross but defenders clear before ball can bounce into box.
50 min...TFC Gomez bumps RSL Movsisyan off ball on rush on left side of TFC box when he pushes ball too far ahead.
52 min...TFC Guevara taps over 30 yard freekick to TFC DeRosario to blast shot down middle and ball is smothered by goalie on left post.
54 min...TFC Barrett 20 yard shot is wide right on deflection and goalie swats at ball to keep it in but it was already ruled behind end line.
54 min...RSL YELLOW card...Beckerman for argueing the cornerkick call.
55 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right has defender head ball away from box.
56 min...RSL Morales 30 yard freekick from left has TFC Brennan head ball out of box.
57 min...TFC Barrett on run on left sends in cross that defender heads away preventing TFC White from getting to on right side edge of RSL box.
58 min...RSL sub...Williams replaces Mathis.
............RSL sub...Findley replaces Movsisyan.
58 min...TFC Serioux heads away ball on edge of TFC box sent in 40 yard freekick.
61 min...RSL Morales 25 yard freekick from right has RSL Wingert head ball down but TFC Barrett kicks over own net at 12 yards for cornerkick.
61 min...RSL Morales cornerkick from left sends ball outside box where it was easily intercepted.
62 min...multiplayer pushing match after whistle on right edge of TFC box. Referee talks to both RSL Espindola and TFC Attakora but gives out no cards.
64 min...TFC Barrett cross from 22 yards on left end line has RSL Wingert head ball on right to clear out of box.
65 min...TFC Gomez takes short throw-in to TFC DeRosario who taps pass back to him and Gomez chips 30 yarder from right well over net.
66 min...TFC Barrett has RSL Beltran poke ball away at 12 yards up middle for cornerkick.
67 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right has play whistled down.
69 min...RSL Johnson 35 yard chip shot deflected down middle and bounces to goalie.
71 min...RSL Findley runs ball up middle and 22 yard shot pushed wide left by diving goalie.
71 min...RSL Morales cornerkick from left is short and RSL Johnson cuts low 15 yard shot from left is wide left.
72 min...RSL Olave slides to poke ball away from TFC DeRosario on edge of RSL box.
73 min...TFC sub...Sanyang replaces Barrett.
74 min...RSL Morales cornerkick from left has TFC Cronin pop up header and play is whistled down.
75 min...TFC Cronin run on right and crosses into RSL box where defender knocks ball back out of box and TFC DeRosario crosses from 20 yards on right that RSL Olave deflects high and TFC Guevara blasts 20 yard shot up middle which defender blocks at 15 yards and TFC Sanyang 22 yard shot easy shot from left that's caught by goalie.
75 min...RSL sub...Campos replaces Beltran.
78 min...RSL Williams chips ball down middle from 55 yards that finds charging RSL Campos who overruns ball and TFC Serioux trips over Campos ducking waiting for ball to reach him injurying Serioux.
79 min...RSL Espindola gets to long cross from 60 yards sent in by RSL Beckerman from right and 12 yard shot from left is wide right of net.
81 min...RSL Espindola is squeezed out of long pass up left by TFC Serioux and TFC Sanyang at TFC 30 yards.
82 min...RSL Wingert 40 yard cross from left has goalie punch ball out of box to right.
82 min...TFC White runs down left edge of field and rolls centering pass downfield for TFC DeRosario at 25 yards and he rolls cross to right for TFC Cronin who rolls ball back behind slding goalie but defender gets foot in to prevent TFC DeRosario connecting. TFC deGuzman blasts 15 yard shot well over net.
83 min...RSL Espindola cuts in 15 yard shot wide left of net after he shouldered cross down sent in from header by RSL Campos from right.
84 min...TFC sub...Fellinga replaces DeRosario.
84 min...RSL Johnson cross from 20 yards on right into box has TFC Serioux head behind own end line.
85 min...RSL Morales cornerkick from right is through box on header by TFC player. RSL Beckerman crosses back from left cleared from box by TFC Serioux's header.
87 min...RSL Johnson cross from 20 yards on wide left is back to RSL Beckerman who chips wide right from 20 yards up middle over crowd of players.
89 min...TFC sub...Gerba replaces White.
90 min...TFC Fellinga cross from 25 yards on left bounces through box.
91 min...TFC Fellinga diving header back to goalie from 20 yards to catch pop up to stop RSL charge into box.
92 min...RSL Williams cross from 20 yards on right and RSL Borchers on left pops up 5 yard header that goalie catches under bar.
93 min...TFC Guevara knocked over at TFC 22 yards and wins freekick.
94 min...game ends 5:59pm.

Final Score:..........Toronto FC.........1............Real Salt Lake..........1......

Attendance was announced as 20384 on this cool afternoon with the sun in the sourth west. The Canadian national anthem was played for an even shorter period of time before the sound was turned off and the fans' voices had to carry it.

Fans in the South end and in the northwest corner of the stands unfurled huge banners at the start of the game for recently retired TFC player Danny Dichio. Dichio came running from behind the bench and applauded the fans in the south end. After the game the TFC players applauded the fans in the South end but did not walk around the field like last year. Jim Brennan did run over to the ignored North East Elite section and throw his jersey and a wrist band into the crowd. Nice gesture. TFC also saluted their Academy teams before the game acknowledging their accomplishments in the CSL. TFC Academy U-18s won the CSL Reserve Division and TFC Academy made the playoffs for the first time in their second year of existence. The players of these two teams came out on the field to wave to the fans.

Real Salt Lake entered the game one point ahead of TFC in the standings with two games to go but are now about eliminated from the playoffs because of so many other teams being ahead of them. RSL internationals Will Johnson and Andy Williams were both born in Toronto. Johnson has been called up to the Canadian national team on many occasions while Williams is a stalwart of the Jamaican nantional team.

This game was similar to last week's game against San Jose Earthquakes in that TFC scored at the beginning of the second half. They did a much better job of protecting the lead this game. This time they used all three of their substitutions by eventually replacing all their forwards. They also reverted from a three man defence to a four man backline in the second half. Adrian Serioux was on defence and stayed back in that position even when TFC would win a throw-in deep in the RSL end (except at the very start of the game). No chance of him being 30 yards our of position if RSL would start a fast break out. TFC made runs to the opposition corner flags near the end of the game to waste time rather than take a shot and turn over possession. RSL has the best record for scoring goals in the last 15 minutes of the game whereas TFC has the worst at conceding goals with that much time to go. It was a real nailbiter.

The Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was named as the goal scorer Jim Brennan who started as a midfield winger but moved back to defender in the second half.

TFC 'needed' to win this game. With other results falling mostly their way, they now have a 50% chance of gaining a playoff spot and something like 95% if they can win their regular season final game in New York against the Red Bulls. With so many teams still being in the running for a playoff spot, every game next week has playoff implications for at least one of the teams in each game.

I was surprized at the fans in my row. They were saying "goodbye" and "see you next year" and leaving with 15 minutes to go. Didn't they learn anything from last week's game? Well maybe not as they were the same fans who left early last week too. It took me until after the game to realize that the "see you next year" goodbye was also premature as this might not be the last time we see each other this season as TFC has a chance at a playoff spot and that would mean one more home game.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

game stats:

Real Salt Lake (10-12-7) vs. Toronto FC (10-10-9) 
October 17, 2009 -- BMO Field 

Scoring Summary: 
TOR -- Jim Brennan 2 (unassisted) 48

Real Salt Lake -- Nick Rimando, Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Tony Beltran (Pablo Campos 76), 
Clint Mathis (Andy Williams 59), Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Will Johnson, Fabian Espindola, 
Yura Movsisyan (Robbie Findley 59).

Substitutes Not Used: Nelson Gonzalez, Ned Grabavoy, Robbie Russell, Chris Seitz

Toronto FC -- Brian Edwards, Emmanuel Gomez, Nana Attakora, Adrian Serioux, Jim Brennan, 
Amado Guevara, Julian de Guzman, Sam Cronin, Chad Barrett (Amadou Sanyang 73), O'Brian White (Ali Gerba 90), 
Dwayne De Rosario (Lesly Fellinga 84).
Substitutes Not Used: Ben Dragovan, Gabe Gala, Nick Garcia, Pablo Vitti

 		Toronto FC 		Real Salt Lake 
total shots: 8 (3 tied with 2)  		14 (Fabian Espindola 4)  
shots on goal: 3 (3 tied with 1)  		9 (3 tied with 2)  
fouls: 10 (Amado Guevara 2,  Adrian Serioux 2)  	13 (Fabian Espindola 5)  
offsides: 3 (3 tied with 1)  			2 (Fabian Espindola 1,  Robbie Findley 1)  
corner kicks: 6 (Amado Guevara 6)  		6 (Javier Morales 5)  
saves: 9 (Brian Edwards 9)  			2 (Nick Rimando 2)  

Misconduct Summary: 
TOR -- Jim Brennan (caution; Reckless Tackle) 19
RSL -- Tony Beltran (caution; Reckless Foul) 39
RSL -- Kyle Beckerman (caution; Dissent) 55

referee: Terry Vaughn
Referee's Assistants: Nate Clement; Anthony Vasoli
4th official: Carol-Anne Chenard
time of game: 1:51
attendance: 20,384
weather: Clear -and- 46 degrees

All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial

TFC starters