October 6, 2012 MLS--Toronto FC vs DC United (by Rocket Robin)

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Result of the Saturday October 6th, 2012 MLS game between Toronto FC and DC United played at BMO Field in Toronto at 1:00pm.

Toronto FC (all white, black names and numbers, red shoulders and trim)

....................30 Milos Kocic
25 Jeremy Hall...27 Richard Eckersley...48 Darren O'Dea (cpt)...2 Logan Emory
19 Reggie Lambe...21 Aaron Maund...23 Terry Dunfield...9 Ryan Johnson
.............11 Luis Silva...18 Quincy Amarikwa

Subs:...41 Freddy Hall (gk)...4 Doneil Henry (def)...8 Eric Avila (mid)...12 Adrian Cann (def)...31 Dicoy Williams (def) ...32 Andrew Wiedeman (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Paul Mariner

DC United (all black, white names and numbers)

....................28 Bill Hamid
4 Brandon McDonald...11 Marcelo Saragosa...5 Dejan Jakovic...22 Chris Korb
24 Lewis Neal...14 Andy Najar...23 Perry Kitchen...18 Nick DeLeon
.............13 Chris Pontius (cpt)...26 Lionard Pajoy

Subs:...31 Joe Willis (gk)...3 Robbie Russell (def)...6 Mike Chabala (def)...8 Branko Boskovic (mid)...9 Hamdi Salihi (fwd)
...15 Ethan White (def)...29 Maicon Santos (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Ben Olsen

Game officials:...referee Armando Villarreal...referee's assistants Claudio Badea and Scott Kachmarik...fourth official Abbey Okulaja
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 1:08pm...TFC defends south end on this cold afternoon with a strong wind from the north and west.
1 min...TFC Maund 35 yard low shot down middle rolls to goalie.
4 min...DCU Najar cross from 20 yards on right tips up off TFC Maund and has goalie palm ball over net on wind aided drift.
5 min...DCU Neal cornerkick from right is headed away by TFC Johnson but play is whistled down in box for TFC freekick.
6 min...TFC Maund is injured in collision jumping for header and hitting heads with DCU Kitchen at TFC 35 yards.
8 min...TFC Lambe low cross from 25 yards on right has TFC Silva slide on right to shoot 12 yarder that goalie dives to save. TFC Maund gets rebound kick deflected high from 20 yards by sliding DCU Jakovic and ball cleared. Maund is injured on the play.
10 min...TFC Hall long throw-in is headed away. TFC Lambe chips 45 yarder from right that TFC Dunfield flicks header forward from 12 yards and goalie picks up at 5 yards on left post.
11 min...TFC defenders clear DCU rush into left side of box with stops on Pajoy then DeLeon.
12 min...TFC Silva pass over to TFC Amarikwa on right and his 18 yard shot is deflected wide right of post.
12 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from right has defender head away on edge of box and TFC Eckersley punts low back up middle from 40 yards and TFC Johnson stops at 15 yards on left and turns and 10 yard shot deflects off DCU McDonald for cornerkick.
13 min...TFC Silva cornerkick from left has DCU goalie punch ball forward out of box in crowd of players.
15 min...DCU Neal cross from 25 yards on far right has TFC O'Dea in middle head away ball from 8 yards.
16 min...DCU Pajoy 22 yard freekick from left is into player wall. DCU Pajoy rebound is low wide right of wall and net for goalkick.
19 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from left has DCU player clear from box at 6 yards.
19 min...TFC Maund chip from 35 yards on right forward and wide right of net.
21 min...TFC Lambe low cross from 25 yards near end line is caught by goalie on bounce.
23 min...DCU Pontius 35 yard freekick down middle is just over bar.
24 min...DCU Korb cross from 18 yards on left is cleared by defenders.
25 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from left is short to TFC Silva and tap back has Dunfield cross from 25 yards on left is caught by goalie in crowd of players at 7 yards.
27 min...DCU Najar is checked off ball as he runs into TFC box from right.
28 min...DCU Korb rolls pass forward to DCU DeLeon whose low cross from 15 yards on left has sliding TFC Eckersley pop up ball and goalie catch surviving bump with own player TFC Emory.
29 min...TFC Hall runs ball over end line on right for goalkick.
29 min...DCU Pajoy turns and fires 20 yarder down middle just over bar when defender TFC O'Dea heads ball downward.
31 min...TFC Lambe wins cornerkick on deflection. TFC Amarikwa is hurt in DCU box on play.
32 min...TFC sub...Wiedeman replaces injured Amarikwa.
32 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from right has goalie catch in crowd of players.
34 min...DCU goalie dives out on left to beat TFC Wiedeman to ball.
34 min...TFC Emory and DCU Najar hurt at TFC 30 yards as both kick at midair ball and collide.
36 min...DCU Najar 40 yard freekick down middle has TFC Wiedeman head ball away on edge of box.
38 min...TFC Johnson called offside in the 6 yard box when he works play in with TFC Wiedeman.
41 min...DCU Korb cross from 25 yards on left is over box.
42 min...DCU Saragosa sends in 45 yard cross from left that goalie runs forward to punch away from DCU Pontius at 12 yards. DCU Pajoy gets to ball at 15 yards, turns, and shoots low that TFC Eckersley stops and clears at 8 yards.
43 min...DCU Pontius 25 yard shot from right is high and wide left.
44 min...DCU Najar crosses from 25 yards on right and bounces ball through 6 yard box that has DCU DeLeon rescue on left end line and turn past TFC Hall and can't win Penalty kick when he falls after whiffing on shot.
46 min...TFC Hall takes ball off DCU DeLeon who was trying to hold ball near right cornerflag in DCU end. TFC Lambe cross from 20 yards on right is caught by goalie.
47 min...half ends 1:55pm.

Halftime entertainment:...There's a Carlsberg Crossbar Challenge with three contestants--one man is dressed in a cow costume for his bachelor party. Contestant #3 won. She hit the bar on her second kick.

2nd Half:...starts 2:11pm.
46 min...TFC Lambe is injured jumping for header by forearm by DCU Jakovic at DCU 40 yards.
50 min...TFC Dunfield 40 yard freekick down middle has TFC Maund flick header wide right on right side from 15 yards.
51 min...DCU Pontius throw-in from right is cleared by TFC player's header on right side of box.
51 min...DCU McDonald 30 yard roller up middle through players up middle is picked up by goalie.
52 min...TFC Dunfield 50 yard freekick from left is tapped across for TFC Eckersley to shoot 45 yarder down middle over net.
53 min...DCU Pajoy shanks 30 yard shot down middle well wide right of net.
53 min...DCU sub...Boskovic replaces Neal.
55 min...TFC Emory crosses 35 yarder from left through players in box and wide right for goalkick when TFC Wiedeman can't keep it in on end line.
56 min...TFC Eckersley clears ball from 10 yards in middle after DCU Pontius long run and pass over to DCU Najar who rolls ball into box.
58 min...DCU Boskovic 50 yard freekick down middle is just over head of leaping DCU players 5 yards right of net.
60 min...TFC Johnson gets pass on left from TFC Hall after Hall and TFC Wiedeman give and go up middle and 20 yard shot has goalie fly at 6 yards and push ball wide left of post.
60 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from right has DCU McDonald head away at 10 yards in middle of box.
61 min...TFC Wiedeman rolls 28 yarder up middle wide left.
62 min...DCU Najar cross from 22 yards on right is caught by goalie after DCU Boskovic has crossed from 20 yards on left over box.
63 min...DCU sub...Salihi replaces Pajoy.
63 min...TFC Johnson cross from 20 yards near left end line is too far forward for goalie and TFC Hall on right gets around DCU Saragosa and shanks shot from 12 yards across box and ball is cleared by defender on left side.
64 min...TFC Silva 30 yard shot down middle is well over net.
65 min...TFC YELLOW card...Johnson earns it for check on DCU Najar at DCU 45 yards.
67 min...DCU Najar low cross from 25 yards on right has DCU Pontius in middle of box spin and shoot over net from 15 yards.
68 min...TFC Hall long throw-in from right has TFC Johnson take backward header at 15 yards that defenders clear at 7 yards.
69 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from right has goalie catch at 5 yards in crowd of players on right.
70 min...TFC Johnson cross from 25 yards on right has TFC Wiedeman get ball at 20 yards in middle when TFC Lambe steps over it and takes shot from 16 yards that hits DCU Jakovic at 10 yards stepping in front of goalie and ball deflects out of box. DCU Jakovic had been checked then pushed off ball at center line on right to start this play.
70 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from right has TFC Emory on left at 15 yards head ball into middle where goalie leaps to swat away but runs into defender and TFC Silva but pushes ball forward for other defenders to clear from box.
71 min...TFC Johnson rolls cross in after rush from right and defender clears behind end line for cornerkick.
71 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from right is short to TFC Lambe who crosses into box that defender heads back to right and TFC Dunfield passes short to TFC Lambe whose low shot from 20 yards in middle deflects off TFC player at 7 yards and back to right where TFC Dunfield crosses from 15 yards over players in box and DCU Jakovic heads ball away and play whistled down for TFC Maund pushing over defender just inside box.
73 min...TFC Johnson cross from 30 yards on right has DCU McDonald head ball away from 15 yards. TFC Silva was injured upfield on sliding tackle at TFC 30 yards.
74 min...DCU YELLOW card...Saragosa earns it on delay on earlier play.
76 min...DCU sub...Santos replaces Saragosa.
76 min...TFC Johnson 45 yard shot from right is caught by goalie.
79 min...DCU Boskovic 30 yard freekick from left is over three man wall and TFC Dunfield pops up header at 15 yards on left over to right where ball is cleared but DCU DeLeon dekes TFC Eckersley and 20 yard shot from right is caught by goalie.
80 min...DCU Korb rusn down left wing and pushes ball over end line for goalkick when jostled over by TFC Hall.
82 min...DCU Boskovic cornerkick from right has play whistled down in box as DCU Salihi jumps on TFC Eckersley to try to make header at 5 yards.
83 min...TFC Dunfield cornerkick from left has nearest defender on left, DCU DeLeon, head ball away from 10 yards.
83 min...TFC Lambe cross from left 25 yards has DCU McDonald head away on right post at 5 yards.
85 min...TFC sub...Avila replaces Silva.
86 min...TFC Johnson 22 yard freekick from right is around two man wall but defender at 8 yards in middle pops header out of box.
87 min...DCU Hamdi Salihi GOAL...TFC Hall whiffs on clearance at center line popping ball up then falling over injured and DCU Maicon Santos dribbles down right hand side and holds off TFC Emory and takes low shot from 25 yards on right that's saved by diving goalie but he fumbles ball and charging Salihi shoots 5 yarder on left low into middle of open net.
89 min...TFC Lambe wins cornerkick when defender slides at 10 yards to block his kick from left.
90 min...TFC Lambe cornerkick from left has DCU Jakovic on right head ball out for throw-in.
90 min...TFC Emory long throw-in from right has DCU Corb make partial clearance and TFC Dunfield at right edge of box taps ball back for TFC Avila to shoot low 22 yarder from right into box that hits leg of TFC O'Dea at 6 yards and defender's clearance deflects off his leg again for cornerkick.
91 min...TFC Lambe cornerkick from left has lrspinh defender head away at 5 yards near right post.
92 min...DCU YELLOW card...Salihi earns it for sliding tackle on TFC Lambe at DCU 22 yards.
92 min...TFC Dunfield low 22 yard freekick from left is deflected away by player wall.
93 min...TFC Avila cross from left has DCU DeLeon head ball through box and out right side and TFC Hall can't cross it in when DCU Jakovic blocks his attempts twice.
94 min...game ends 3:00pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC......0..........DC United...........1........

Attendance was announced as 15281. (Yikes, that's 4000 less than earlier in the season). I was expecting more because the team hasn't had a home game for the last three weeks. The weather was cold and windy but the sun came out by the end of the game. There was no rain (that happened earlier in the day) although there were dark clouds.

There were protests in the south end stands with banners outlining TFC's poor season. My favourite was one with head coach Paul Mariner, MLSE president Tom Anselmi, and Director of Player Development Earl Cochrane portrayed as Curley, Larry, and Moe of the Three Stooges.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as forward Ryan Johnson. He had a number of shots on net.

The TFC game program was stretching for good news in outlining that the team had never lost a home game in the month of October.

TFC looked better in this game than their last few and had a good run of play between minutes 69 to 71 where they had quite a few chances. Their problem was the just couldn't put the ball into the net. DCU goalie Bill Hamid was great in going for balls into the box except for one attempt when he flew forward and missed but a defender covered for him.

TFC goalie Milos Kocic wore a pink kit to support breast cancer awareness. Hightlights I saw later from around the league had the home team goalies were all wearing pink. In the second half with the wind at his back Kocic was in his element making long punts downfield. It was his fault though on flubbing the save on ex-TFC player Maicon Santos that left Hamdi Salihi with a simple tap-in into the open net. We know he's looking for a new contract to move up from the league minimum especially now with newborn triplets to support but today's result is not the highlight reel that will make him the number one goalie.

TFC Terry Dunfield took over freekick and cornerkicks near the end of the game from Luis Silva and Jeremy Hall splitting them. Ryan Johnson was pushed out wide as a midfielder where I don't think he's as effective. At 32 minutes Andrew Wiedeman replaced the injured Quincy Amarikwa and that pushed Luis Silva up to the front.

The result extends TFC's record without a win to 12 games (in MLS play) and should ensure they win the imaginary wooden spoon as the worst team in the 19 team league. The tangible reward should be the number 1 draft pick over the winter.

DCU's record is now four games unbeaten after the injury of their midfielder Dwayne DeRosario. He suffered a knee injury in the World Cup Qualifier against Panama while playing for Canada last month. MLS now takes a week break for more World Cup Qualifying before a final flurry of most team's last two games before the playoffs.

The DCU team had 8 players on the Disabled List on the MLS site's game program while TFC was listed as having 5. This appears to be the reason why the MLS Reserves League game which was supposed to played right after the main game. I'd heard about the cancellation in a posting on the TFC website a few days ago but got the suspected reasons by asking TFC officials at the TFC Academy vs Serbian White Eagles CSL match last night.

The childrens' entertainers The Wiggles were playing at the Ricoh Centre next door and had occupied most of the parking lot before TFC fans got here. I come by public transit.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com Major Events Goals and Assists DC 88' Hamdi Salihi Match Info Referee: Armando Villarreal Attendance: 15281 Disciplinary TOR 66' Ryan Johnson Foul Yellow DC 75' Marcelo Saragosa Foul Yellow DC 92' Hamdi Salihi Foul Yellow Match Stats Toronto FC D.C. United 16 Attempts on Goal 13 3 Shots on Target 3 7 Shots off Target 7 6 Blocked Shots 3 12 Corner Kicks 2 14 Fouls 10 23 Open Play Crosses 12 1 Offsides 0 1 First Yellow Cards 2 0 Second Yellow Cards 0 0 Red Cards 0 43 Duels Won 60 42% Duels Won % 58% 302 Total Pass 331 69% Passing Accuracy % 73% 49.1% Possession 50.9% Lineups Toronto – Milos Kocic; Jeremy Hall, Richard Eckersley, Darren O’Dea, Logan Emory; Reggie Lambe, Terry Dunfield, Aaron Maund, Ryan Johnson; Quincy Amarikwa (Quincy Amarikwa 33’), Luis Silva (Eric Avila 86’) Substitutes not used: Freddy Hall, Doneil Henry, Adrian Cann, Dicoy Williams

D.C. United – Bill Hamid; Dejan Jakovic, Brandon McDonald, Chris Korb, Marcelo Saragosa (Maicon Santos 77’) Andy Najar, Nick De Leon, Perry Kitchen, Lewis Neal (Branko Boskovic 55’), Chris Pontius, Lionard Pajoy (Hamdi Salihi 64’) Substitutes not used: Joe Willis, Robbie Russell, Mike Chabala, Ethan White

TFC starters