February 10, 2011 MLS--Dinamo Zagreb vs Toronto FC (from TorontoFC.ca)

Toronto FC v. Dinamo Zagreb
Reds suffer first preseason defeat, downed 3-1 to Dinamo.
TorontoFC.ca
February 10, 2011

Toronto FC 1-3 Dinamo Zagreb - Full Time.

Report:

Toronto FC fell 3-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in the final match of their training camp in Antalya, Turkey on Thursday. Toronto trailed 2-0 at half time but got back into the game straight after the break with a goal from Canadian trialist Gianluca Zavarise. Despite dominating the second half, the Reds couldn’t find a leveling goal and then conceded a late penalty.

Toronto Head Coach Aron Winter named five trialists in the starting lineup. Dutch left back Kevin Westmaas made his first appearance for the team. King Osei Gyan and Elbekay Bouchiba started in midfield with Dutch forwards Nick Soolsma and Javier Martina making their third start of preseason.

Toronto captain Dwayne De Rosario and defender Adrian Cann did not play in the match. The duo only arrived back at the team’s training camp in Antalya an hour before kickoff having played in Canada’s 1-0 defeat in Greece on Wednesday.

Toronto started slowly allowing the Croatian side to score as early as the first minute and double their advantage in the eighth minute. Toronto came more into the match as an attacking force as the half progressed. In the 21st minute TFC Academy player Oscar Cordon saw a long range shot saved by the goalkeeper.

In the 26th minute, goalkeeper Stefan Frei started a counter attack quickly for Toronto. Bouchiba switched play to find Soolsma who crossed into the middle, but the header from Maicon Santos didn’t have enough power to trouble the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, Maicon had another opportunity to head towards goal. This time his well placed effort was heading towards the corner of the goal but he was denied by an excellent save from the Zagreb keeper.

Soolsma and Martina looked lively for Toronto and Soolsma forced another save from the goalkeeper 10 minutes before half time.

In the 41st minute, the referee showed a red card to a Zagreb player following a bad challenge, but as it is a friendly, a substitute was allowed on to replace the player and maintain 11 against 11.

Toronto made nine changes at half time and introduced three more trialists. Eddy Sidra, Chris Hunter and Gianluca Zavarise all came into the match.

Zavarise made an immediate impact scoring just a minute after the restart. The goal was set up by Jacob Peterson who raced down the wing and sent a low cross into the box. Zavarise held the ball up, turned and got a shot away to score.

Toronto continued to push forward and in the 56th minute Zavarise chased a ball to the corner and fed Plata who took on a defender and tried to chip the goalkeeper but saw his effort saved.

Just before the hour a great ball by Plata found Peterson who was chopped down by a Zagreb player. The referee showed a red card, Zagreb’s second of the match, but they were allowed to bring on another player and it remained 11 against 11. From the resulting free kick, Zavarise’s shot was blocked, and Nick LaBrocca fired over the bar from the rebound.

In the 65th minute, LaBrocca played a ball over the top of the Zagreb defence for Peterson to chase. Peterson showed great pace but tried to chip the keeper and the effort went over the bar.

Zavarise’s match ended prematurely when he was shown a red card in the 77th minute for a high challenge. He was replaced by Academy product Keith Makubuya. As Toronto pushed forward to tie the game, Zagreb hit on the counter. A penalty was awarded after a foul by Matt Stinson and Zagreb scored to make it 3-1.

Toronto FC will train for the final time in Turkey on Friday before returning to Toronto. The team will train in Oakville next week before heading to Orlando, Florida on Monday, February 21 where they will participate in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic.

81' GOAL - Dinamo Zagreb PK. The Croatian side scores on a penalty following a foul by Stinson.

77' Red Card Score: Toronto 1-2 Dinamo Zagreb.

77' Red card to Toronto. Zavarise for a high challenge – Keith Makubuya comes on in his place. 

75' All TFC. Zagreb can’t get hold of the ball. Lots of passes but no way through to find a second goal yet.

70' Great shot by Zagreb saved well by Frei and ball goes out for a corner. Corner cleared.

65' LaBrocca plays a ball over the top, Peterson runs onto it. Shows great pace and tries to chip the keeper but the effort goes over the bar.

61' Free kick by  Zavarise is blocked. Rebound blasted over the net by LabBrocca.

59' Second Red Card to Zagreb. Great ball by Plata to Peterson who is chopped down by a Zagreb player. Red card shown. Zagreb’s second of the match, but 
they bring on another player and it remains 11 vs 11 as per preseason friendly rules.

56' Zavarise chases a ball down to the corner and passes to Plata who races past a defender and tries to chip the keeper, but the attempt is saved.

55' Great counter by Zagreb leading to a powerful volley from their striker. Straight at Frei.

47' Toronto 1-2 Dinamo Zagreb.

46' GOAL - Toronto FC. Peterson flies down the wing and sends in a low cross. Zavarise holds up the ball, spins and gets a shot away to score for TFC.

Toronto FC Second Half Starting XI: Stefan Frei, Eddy Sidra, Nana Attakora, Chris Hunter, Kevin Westmaas, Nick LaBrocca, Matt Stinson, Nathan Sturgis, Jacob Peterson, Joao Plata, Gianluca Zavarise.

Half Time Report:

Toronto FC trail 2-0 at half time against Dinamo Zagreb in Turkey. The Croatian side scored as early as the first minute and doubled their advantage in the eight minute.

After a slow start, Toronto came more into the match as an attacking force as the half progressed. In the 21st minute TFC Academy player Oscar Cordon saw a long range shot saved by the goalkeeper.

Soolsma and Martina looked lively for Toronto and Soolsma forced another save from the goalkeeper 10 minutes before half time.

In the 41st minute, the referee showed a red card to a Zagreb player following a bad challenge, but as it is a friendly, a substitute was allowed on to replace the player and maintain 11 against 11.

41' Red Card Dinamo Zagreb. It was for a bad challenge and the player is dismissed, but as it is a preseason friendly, a new player is allowed to come
into the game as a replacement. No advantage for TFC.

37' Omphroy plays in Cordon but a Zagreb defender does well to halt the attack.

35' Soolsma with a great shot from the edge of the penalty area, saved well by the keeper and cleared behind by a Dinamo defender for a TFC corner ...
which flies through the box untouched.

28' Corner for TFC. Soolsma takes it, Maicon rises high. Excellent header towards corner of the goal, but it produces a good save from the Dinamo keeper.

26' Frei claims the Zagreb corner. A quick counter from TFC, the ball is played out and a great vision from Bouchiba switches play to Soolsma. Cross
from Soolsma is met by Maicon but his header is weak.

25' Free kick Dinamo Zagreb. Taken from near the corner flag, it's cleared for a corner by Gyan.

21' Cordon's shot from 20-yards saved by goalkeeper. Soolsma and Martina have switched wings, both looking very lively and now causing problems for
Dinamo's defence.

17' Match has calmed down a bit. Cordon getting lots of the ball but no chances created yet by TFC.

9' Zagreb forward beats Harden down the line. Cross in is saved by Frei.

8' Toronto 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb.

7' GOAL. Dinamo Zagreb. Another poor clearance at the back leads to a Dinamo blast from just outside the 18-yard box.

3' Cordon and Martina link up but Martina’s cross is cleared by the Zagreb defence.

2' Toronto 0-1 Dinamo Zagreb.

1' GOAL. Dinamo Zagreb. A mistake from Doneil Henry gives the Croatian giants an early lead.

February 10, 2011 - 9:45 a.m. ET

Five trialists are in the starting lineup for Toronto FC’s final preseason match in Turkey against Dinamo Zagreb this morning (kick off 10:00 a.m. ET).

New Dutch trialists Kevin Westmaas starts at left back, King Osei Gyan and Elbekay Bouchiba are in midfield and Dutch forwards Javier Martina and Nick Soolsma will be in the three man attack.

Draft pick Demitrius Omphroy will play at right back and TFC Academy midfielder Oscar Cordon also starts.

Toronto FC first half Starting XI: Stefan Frei, Demitrius Omphroy, Doneil Henry, Ty Harden, Kevin Westmaas, King Osei Gyan, Elbekay Bouchiba, Oscar Cordon, Javier Martina, Nick Soolsma, Maicon Santos.

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