April 27, 2013--Toronto FC vs New York Red Bulls (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result of the Saturday April 27th, 2013 MLS game between Toronto FC and New York Red Bulls played at BMO Field in Toronto at 2:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

............................12 Joseph Bendik
33 Ryan Richter...6 Gale Agbossoumonde...48 Darren O'Dea (cpt)...5 Ashtone Morgan
19 Reggie Lambe...25 Jeremy Hall...11 Luis Silva...31 Hogan Ephraim
............17 Justin Braun...10 Robert Earnshaw

Subs:...24 Stefan Frei (gk)...3 Danny Califf (def)...4 Doneil Henry (def)...7 John Bostock (mid)...8 Kyle Bekker (mid)
...21 Jonathan Osorio (mid)...32 Andrew Wiedeman (fwd)
head coach Ryan Nelsen

New York Red Bulls (navy socks and shirts, yellow shorts, white names and numbers)

........................31 Luis Robles
25 Brandon Barklage...4 Jamison Olave...5 Markus Holgersson...7 Roy Miller
10 Lloyd Sam...17 Tim Cahill...12 Eric Alexander...22 Jonny Steele
.............14 Thierry Henry (cpt)...9 Fabian Espindola

Subs:...24 Santiago Castano (gk)...3 Heath Pearce (def)...15 Andre Akpan (fwd)...16 Connor Lade (def)...23 Michael Bustamante (mid)
...27 Kosuke Kimura (def)...88 Peguy Luyindula (fwd)
head coach Mike Petke

Game officials:...referee Jorge Gonzalez...referee's assistants Daniel Belleau and Eric Boria...fourth official Geoff Gamble ...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

Before the national anthems were played a moment of silence was held to commemorate the Battle of York just down the street in the War of 1812. That was 200 years ago. At least this one was shorter than the one held for Boston and Texas last week. Traffic was blocked off coming and going to the stadium from the north and east so there could be a parade to Fort York.

1st Half:...game starts 2:09pm...TFC defends south end on this cool day with a bright sun in the south).
3 min...NYRB Miller cross from 30 yards on left into box and NYRB Henry gets ball, turns and weak 12 yard roller is saved by goalie wide left of net.
4 min...TFC Lambe low cross from 25 yards on right into box has NYRB Holgersson clear. Lambe eventually gets pass back and crosses from 30 yards on right and Holgersson heads away at 15 yards.
5 min...TFC Earnshaw blast from 28 yards on left off NYRB Olave at 15 yards and deflects for cornerkick.
5 min...TFC Silva cornerkick from left is over player in box but wins cornerkick on right.
6 min...TFC Silva cornerkick from right has NYRB Steele pop up header from 6 yards forward and out of box.
7 min...TFC Silva 35 yard freekick from right has goalie catch between crowd of players.
8 min...TFC Braun is injured at NYRB 45 yards with foot clipped by NYRB Olave.
8 min...TFC O'Dea 50 yard freekick from left has leaping TFC Richter at 12 yards on right head ball wide right of end line.
9 min...NYRB Barklage low cross from near right cornerflag as TFC Agbossoumonde clear from box.
10 min...TFC Braun is injured at TFC 35 yards just by chasing player. Play carried on and NYRB Henry 12 yard shot from left is deflected wide right for cornerkick.
11 min...TFC sub...Wiedeman replaces injured Braun.
11 min...NYRB Henry cornerkick from left has ball kicked around in box but blocked by defenders and finally cleared from box.
13 min...NYRB Espindola race up right wing has TFC O'Dea prevent cross and deflect back off Espindola over end line for goalkick.
18 min...NYRB Henry gets away from TFC Richter on run down left wing and cross from 25 yards on left has NYRB Sam rescue ball with midair hook on right endline but goalie picks ball up.
19 min...TFC Earnshaw high cross over box on left after shaking off defender has NYRB player run it out on right side of box.
22 min...TFC Silva chips pass from 30 yards into box but TFC Wiedeman can't get around NYRB Olave and ball rolls over end line.
25 min...TFC Agbossoumonde makes block on rolling cross from right by NYRB Espindola at 10 yards.
26 min...NYRB Henry 45 yard freekick up middle is whistled down in box for TFC freekick.
27 min...TFC Richter long throw-in from right has NYRB Cahill head ball out of box from 12 yards on right.
28 min...NYRB Henry cross from 25 yards on left is through to NYRB Sam on right and his 12 yard cross from right has goalie beat NYRB Espindola to header attempt. TFC Ephraim is injured on the sideline on his challenge on NYRB Barklage at TFC 30 yard line.
29 min...TFC Hall rush on left and cross from 22 yards back to middle for TFC Wiedeman to shoot low 18 yard shot that hits TFC Silva at 10 yards and ball trickles forward for goalie to smother.
31 min...TFC Earnshaw quickly turns on getting bounced pass and blasts 30 yarder down middle just over net on retreating goalie.
32 min...TFC Ephraim is injured in center circle.
35 min...TFC Richter rolls 30 yard cross from right and NYRB Olave clears it from box.
35 min...NYRB Sam on run on right chips cross from 20 yards into box and NYRB Steele steps in front of TFC Richter to chest ball down. Ball is partially cleared and NYRB Cahill blasts 22 yarder up middle that deflects off TFC Hall and NYRB Henry recover and rolls ball forward from 17 yards through crowd of players but TFC defender clears from 5 yards.
35 min...NYRB Steele cross from 30 yards on left has TFC Agbossoumonde fly at 12 yards to head ball behind end line.
36 min...NYRB Henry cornerkick from left has goalie punch ball away from 3 yards. NYRB Steels chips cross from right edge of box and TFC O'Dea on left edge of 6 yards box head ball forward and out of box.
37 min...NYRB Henry gets pass at center line and rolls pass forward and to right for charging NYRB Sam who then pushes centering pass forward for charging NYRB Espindola who pokes ball forward from 15 yards up middle and goalie dives to smother ball wide right of net.
38 min...NYRB Sam from 22 yards on right crosses ball and TFC O'Dea pops up header at 15 yards in middle of box forward and out of box.
38 min...NYRB Tim Cahill GOAL...TFC Luis Silva pops up clearance kick just outside TFC box and NYRB Roy Miller get to ball on bounce and heads from 30 yards on left across to TFC Jonny Steele who rolls ball forward and left to charging Miller who eludes TFC Ryan Richter on left edge of box and rolls cross that NYRB Thierry Henry steps over without touching as two defenders guard him on left side at 15 yards line. Cahill at 15 yards in middle just behind NYRB Fabian Espindola at 12 yards shoots low to left side of goal past sprawling goalie Joe Bendik.
41 min...TFC Lambe rolls pass from 45 yards in middle forward to TFC Earnshaw who rolls 25 pass forward and to left for TFC Ephraim who pops up cross from 18 yards on left over to right and retreating NYRB Miller heads it behind end line at 7 yards to prevent TFC Wiedeman getting to it.
41 min...TFC Silva cornerkick from right has defender in center of box at 15 yards head ball away.
42 min...TFC Silva 12 yard cross after recovering own blocked shot along left end line has goalie catch ball on bounce.
42 min...TFC goalie dives forward to smother bouncing cross sent in from NYRB Henry from 50 yards on righ just ahead of charging NYRB Espindola at 15 yards.
45 min...NYRB Henry at flicks ball at 45 yards on left forward for charging NYRB Espindola racing down left sideline and he crosses from 20 yards near left end line and ball bounces to right edge of box for NYRB Sam who rolls centering pass to NYRB Espindola at 15 yards up middle who steps around TFC O'Dea and rolls 10 yard shot that sprawling goalie gets foot to but TFC Richter clears from left post.
46 min...TFC Wiedeman cross from 40 yards on right has NYRB Barklage head ball away at 15 yards just inside box.
47 min...half ends 2:56pm.

Halftime entertainment:...There was no halftime entertainment.

2nd Half:...half starts 3:13. The weather is unchanged.
halftime sub:...TFC Bostock replaces Ephraim.
47 min...NYRB goalie catches TFC Richter 30 yard cross from right on bounce.
49 min...TFC Bostock cross from 25 yards on left is bounced through box and out right for NYRB throw-in.
50 min...TFC Lambe 35 yard cross is just in front of TFC Earnshaw and ball is cleared by NYRB Barklage on left end line.
52 min...TFC Bostock run down left and cross over head of TFC Earnshaw at 10 yards and NYRB Miller heads ball away from box.
55 min...TFC Earnshaw has shot from 18 yards on left blocked by NYRB Olave. TFC Silva chips ball from 25 yards back into left side of box but NYRB Barklage heads ball out of box.
56 min...NYRB Espindola dribbles down left wing and into box and chips 15 yard cross over 6 yard box that NYRB Steels chases on right and taps back for NYRB Sam who's pushed off ball by TFC Bostock before he can play at 20 yards.
57 min...TFC Richter wins freekick on right edge of box when sliding tackle by NYRB Espindola injures him.
58 min...TFC Bostock 22 yard freekick from right is low and sliding NYRB Cahill at 8 yards clears from box. TFC Lambe stops ball and shoots 20 yarder over net.
61 min...TFC Silva low screened 22 yard shot up middle is smothered by goalie.
62 min...NYRB Steele is hurt at center line when TFC Richter runs through him as both try for header.
64 min...NYRB Steele cross from 18 yards on left near end line has NYRB Sam at 12 yards on right head ball back to NYRB Henry at 18 yards who taps ball back to NYRB Cahill whose touch pass forward to NYRB Henry who cuts a 15 yard shot just over bar as he's pushed over by TFC Agbossoumonde.
65 min...TFC Earnshaw on left gets high pass from TFC Lambe and takes mid air blast from 20 yards over net.
66 min...TFC Wiedeman cross from 25 yards on right is headed away by NYRB Holgersson at 15 yards in right side of box. TFC Lambe receives pass on right and low cross from 22 yards has TFC Silva covered by defender on right side of box, pop ball up, turn, and tap ball across box from 6 yards but defender clears.
68 min...TFC Silva low cross from 25 yards on right has NYRB Olave at 15 yards in middle of box clear to right for TFC throw-in.
68 min...TFC Richter long throw-in from right has NYRB Alexander head ball down at 7 yards and ball bounces to TFC Earnshaw and he turns and shoots low 8 yarder between defenders for goalie to smother on left side of net.
70 min...NYRB sub...Kimura replaces Sam.
71 min...NYRB Espindola long rush up left and shoots 12 yard roller just wide right of post.
74 min...NYRB sub...Luyindula replaces Espindola.
75 min...TFC Lambe chip from 20 yards on right has NYRB Olave head ball forward and out of box from 12 yards.
76 min...NYRB Cahill 60 yard chip bounces to goalie.
77 min...TFC Earnshaw can't draw Penalty kick on right side of box when he whiffs on bouncer rushing into box against NYRB Olave.
77 min...TFC Wiedeman turns twice at 25 yards down middle and chips ball into box where retreating defender NYRB Miller clears ball at 12 yards.
78 min...TFC sub...Osorio replaces Wiedeman.
79 min...TFC Silva cornerkick from left is cleared away by punch of leaping goalie even with left post. The ball is worked back into box by 35 yards chip from right by TFC Lambe and TFC O'Dea pops up header from 12 yards on left that defender heads out of box from 8 yards. TFC Bostock rolls pass from 22 yards on left and TFC Earnshaw has 10 yard shot blocked by defender. TFC Silva blasts 22 yard shot from left high and wide right of net. NYRB Miller is injured earlier when TFC Earnshaw falls on him at 10 yards.
82 min...TFC Jonathan Osorio GOAL...TFC Darren O'Dea 50 yard freekick and goalie runs out to edge of box and misses punch attempt of ball. TFC Richter at 15 yards rolls ball back to Osorio at 25 yards and he manouevers around charging NYRB Jonny Steele and shoots 20 yarder just under bar in center of the net over leaping NYRB Olave at 1 yard.
85 min...TFC O'Dea 45 yard freekick from right has NYRB Olave at 6 yards head ball for cornerkick.
85 min...TFC Bostock low cornerkick from right has NYRB Luyindula at 6 yards on right side of box kick ball out of box.
85 min...TFC Hall chips ball from 45 yards on right that TFC Earnshaw heads 15 yarder from left that bounces to goalie.
86 min...NYRB Steele cornerkick from right is over players in box. NYRB Henry has whistle blown for bumping defender off ball outside box.
88 min...NYRB Tim Cahill GOAL...NYRB goalie takes freekick from 80 yards on right that NYRB Peguy Luyindula heads forward from 30 yards up middle. TFC Ashtone Morgan retreats and kicks clearance on bounce at 18 yards. Luyindula gets ball back at 28 yards and rolls pass forward and to left where charging NYRB Thierry Henry gets ball at 10 yards near left end line and gets away high cross in front of TFC Gale Agbossoumonde and Cahill leaps in front of TFC Morgan at 5 yards heads ball into net with goalie trapped on left post.
91 min...TFC Bostock 40 yard chip from left into box has NYRB at 10 yards head ball over end line for cornerkick.
92 min...TFC Silva short cornerkick from left has TFC 20 yard shot from left blocked by NYRB Luyindula at 15 yards on left.
92 min...TFC goalie rushing upfield to 65 yards kicks ball that leaping NYRB Olave heads down at 15 yards. TFC Silva gets to ball and takes scissor kick from 18 yards that goalie catches at 3 yards near left post.
93 min...game ends 4:01pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC......1..........New York Red Bulls...........2........

Attendance was announced as 20009. This was the best crowd of the season at BMO Field. It was also the only game with nice weather and the visitors were a marquis team. From my view I saw that Sections 219 and 227 were full for the first time (cheaper corner seats) but there were still a lot of no shows for Sections 222 and 224 which must be season ticket holders.

Budweiser Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as midfielder Jeremy Hall. (The same MOTM as last week's league game).

The game program was bragging about the Toronto FC record of being 'undefeated at home'. After today's result, looking at all the ties, anyone could say they've won only 1 in 8 league games. I'd be most worried that the team has burned off 5 home games already and winning on the road in the MLS is very tough. This was their first loss to an American team this year.

This was another game where TFC gave up a goal in the final minutes but this time it resulted in a loss. While they've come back to tie a game late once (FC Dallas), they've given up points to LA Galaxy, Philadelphia, and Houston before today's match.

The 11 starters for TFC was exactly the same lineup as last week's game against Houston except that defender Ashton Morgan who'd was serving a Red card suspension last week and had the now injured Logan Emory replace him was now back in the lineup. TFC was forced into two early subs because of injuries. Justin Braun had to leave the game at 11 minutes and Hogan Ephraim after taking some knocks in the first half was subbed at halftime. Andrew Wiedeman came in at 11 minutes but he was subbed off at 78 minutes. Jonathan Osorio took his place and scored four minutes later.

Red Bulls were without midfielders Juninho who was serving a suspension and Dax McCarty who is out injured.

Thierry Henry was effective in this game like great strikers but without actually scoring. He stepped over the ball while being covered by two defenders in the box and that gave Tim Cahill among two open players a clear shot on net. Henry set up the second goal with a cross that Cahill the Australian leapt over his defender to head a ball from inside the 6 yard box for his second and winning goal. The fans laughed when Henry was stuck by a ball passed to him and it bounced out of bounds but he had the last laugh against this city.

Referee Jorge Gonzalez did not give out any cards this game. He had no delays in making whistles or letting balls play on as advantage and not falling for checks that knocked a player over no matter on which team.

NYRB goalie Ryan Meara made a bad decision to come to the edge of the box to try to punch away a freekick and missing and leaving an open net although defender Jamison Olave almost got his head to it just under the bar to prevent the goal. The Galaxy goalie made a mistake earlier this season charging out of his box for a poor backpass that resulted in Robert Earnshaw firing it into an open net.

The game ended in the midfielder area and only TFC captain Darren O'Dea walked about 15 yards from the center circle to applaud the gans in the south east corner. Good advice as there was a chorus of boos in my section at the final whistle.

Big news before the game is TFC has filled one of their designated player spots with 21 year old midfielder Matias Laba from Argentina. I think they are the first team to use this new rule which has a young player count much less on the salary cap than the usual old guys that come to play as a designated player.

The MLS Reserves game was cancelled although I saw some of the TFC players not used during the game doing some runs up and down the field after the main game. I expect with the crowded fixture list that TFC is in the middle of, they were the team who asked out of this game.

On the way in fans were given a Sports Chek canvas bag with the TFC logo. It can be strung as a backpack or carried like a grocery bag.

TFC next few games are on the road. Three home games in a week is a bit much for me but is the time to play them before the local leagues I follow get started.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.co Major Events Goals and Assists NY 39' Tim Cahill (Roy Miller) TOR 83' Jonathan Osorio (Ryan Richter) NY 89' Tim Cahill (Thierry Henry, Péguy Luyindula) Match Info Referee: Jorge Gonzalez Attendance: 20009 Misconduct Summary No Cards Issued Match Stats Toronto FC New York Red Bulls 13 Attempts on Goal 10 4 Shots on Target 3 5 Shots off Target 4 4 Blocked Shots 3 6 Corner Kicks 3 12 Fouls 10 23 Open Play Crosses 17 1 Offsides 0 0 First Yellow Cards 0 0 Second Yellow Cards 0 0 Red Cards 0 44 Duels Won 50 46% Duels Won % 53% 409 Total Pass 428 72% Passing Accuracy % 71% 49% Possession 51%

TORONTO FC RECORD: 1-3-4 7 points

NEW YORK RED BULLS RECORD: 4-4-2 14 points

Lineups Toronto FC – Joe Bendik; Ryan Richter, Gale Agbossoumonde, Darren O’Dea ©, Ashtone Morgan; Reggie Lambe, Luis Silva, Jeremy Hall, Hogan Ephraim (John Bostock 45’); Justin Braun (Andrew Wiedeman 12’) (Jonathan Osorio 79’), Robert Earnshaw

Substitutes not used: Stefan Frei, Danny Califf, Doneil Henry, Kyle Bekker

NY Red Bulls – Luis Robles; Brandon Barklage, Markus Holgersson, Roy Miller, Jamison Olave; Tim Cahill, Lloyd Sam (Kosuke Kimura 71’), Eric Alexander, Jonathan Steele; Fabian Espindola (Peguy Luyindula 75’), Thierry Henry

Subsitutes Not Used: Santiago Castano, Heath Pearce, Connor Lade, Andre Akpan, Michael Bustamante

TFC starters