April 12, 2014 MLS--Toronto FC vs Colorado Rapids (by Rocket Robin)

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Result of the Saturday April 12, 2014, MLS game between Toronto FC and Colorado Rapids played at BMO Field in Toronto at 4:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers

.....................30 Julio Cesar
28 Mark Bloom...16 Bradley Orr...13 Steven Caldwell (cpt)...2 Justin Morrow
11 Jackson...8 Kyle Bekker...25 Jeremy Hall...20 Issey Nakajima-Farran
..............9 Gilberto...14 Dwayne De Rosario

Subs:...12 Joseph Bendik (gk)...5 Ashtone Morgan (def)...6 Gale Agbossoumonde (def)...17 Nick Hagglund (def)...22 Jordan Hamilton (fwd)
32 Andrew Wiedeman (fwd)...33 Ryan Richter (def)
team official:...head coach Ryan Nelsen

Colorado Rapids (all blue, white names and numbers)

...................1 Clint Irwin
27 Shane O'Neill...5 Thomas Piermayr...3 Drew Moor (cpt)...4 Marc Burch
24 Nathan Sturgis...6 Jose Mari...8 Dillon Powers...2 Nick LaBrocca
...........10 Gabriel Torres...9 Edson Buddle

Subs:...12 John Berner (gk)...13 Kamani Hill (fwd)...17 Dillon Serna (mid)...19 Charles Eloundou (fwd)...22 Marvell Wynne (def)
...26 Deshorn Brown (fwd)...33 Jared Watts (mid)
team official:...head coach Pablo Mastroeni

Game officials:...referee David Gantar...referee's assistants Philippe Briere and Richard Gamache...fourth official Justin Tasev
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)...an all Canadian crew!

1st Half:...game starts 4:11pm...TFC defends south end on this cool and overcast late afternoon with a wind from the east.
1 min...CR Burch from 30 yard line on left sideline kicks ball forward to CR Torres who crosses from 25 yards on left end line that flies behind net.
4 min...CR Torres intercepts TFC pass, turns around to elude TFC Caldwell and fires 18 yard shot down middle but high and wide right of net.
5 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from left has TFC Caldwell pop header from 12 yards on right and CR defender on edge of 6 yard box pops up header. CR Powers bumps TFC Jackson off ball and makes clearance from 12 yards.
5 min...TFC Orr cross from 20 yards on left end line has CR Powers concede cornerkick.
6 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from right has defender nod ball away from box from 6 yards. TFC Nakajima-Farran at 22 yards passes over to TFC Bekker who crosses low back into box. CR awarded freekick in collision just inside box.
7 min...TFC Bekker 50 yard freekick from right is over players and caught by leaping goalie at 8 yards and on left side of box.
8 min...CR Moor concedes cornerkick with TFC De Rosario applying pressure before goalie can get to ball.
9 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from right has defender head ball through box. Recross has TFC De Rosario nod 20 yard header that bounces to goalie.
10 min...TFC Jackson cross from 28 yards on right has TFC De Rosario twist 15 yard header wide left.
16 min...TFC YELLOW card...Caldwell earns it when CR Buddle blasts 22 yarder that TFC Caldwell takes off hand just outside box.
17 min...CR Torres blasts 20 yard freekick into player wall and he's checked off rebound before he can get second shot.
19 min...TFC Bekker 50 yard freekick has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players at 6 yards then TFC Jackson at 25 yards chips ball back into box and TFC De Rosario 18 yard header down middle that goalie catches.
23 min...TFC Bekker recovers CR headed clearance and chips 30 yard shot well wide left of net.
27 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from right has ball headed down and charging TFC Nakajima-Farran 18 yard shot up middle is blocked by defender and TFC Bloom shoots 25 yard rebound up middle that deflects off player at 15 yards and goalie catches on bounce.
31 min...CR Buddle rolls in cross from 25 yards on far left and TFC Caldwell slides to clear in 6 yard box to make clearance in front of CR forwards.
31 min...TFC Morrow 40 yard cross from left is caught by goalie on right side of net.
34 min...CR Torres crosses through box from 22 yards on right and ball unplayed and bounces for throw in.
35 min...CR Torres on rush rolls 20 yard shot from right just wide left of post.
38 min...CR Piermayr cross from 25 yards on far right has TFC Orr head ball from 15 yards over end line.
38 min...CR Burch cornerkick from right has ball headed away and ball cleared before CR Mari can get to blast shot on left.
39 min...TFC Caldwell at 12 yards on left heads CR Sturges 25 yard cross from left down. CR Buddle twists around him and runs past TFC Orr as well but runs out of room and gets low 7 yard shot away on left end line that goalie dives down and pushes for cornerkick on left.
40 min...CR Torres low cornerkick from left has TFC Bekker stop and clear from 12 yards on left. CR Torres cross from 25 yards on left is just over the heads of CR Buddle and TFC Orr at 6 yards on left and ball bounces wide right for goalkick.
42 min...TFC Bloom chips ball in from 40 yards on right and TFC Gilberto flying header from 12 yards is wide right.
46 min...half ends 4:57pm.

Halftime Entertainment:...The entertainment was again confined to the sidelines with Scott's Turfbuilder and Drumstick ice cream spots run by Rachel Bonnetta as MC. The rest of the halftime they ran off some GOL TV footage and the usual movie trailers.

2nd Half:...half starts 5:14pm.
45 min...TFC De Rosario leans back to recover pass and curls 25 yard shot from left that goalie catches.
46 min...CR O'Neill pokes ball off TFC Gilberto on edge of CR box to prevent shot.
48 min...TFC Nakajima-Farran long cross from 30 yards on left has TFC Gilberto lean back at 12 yards and nod header wide right of goal.
53 min...CR Sturges low cross pass from 35 yards on right has CR Buddle kick 20 yarder that bounces wide right of net.
56 min...TFC Morrow low cross from 20 yards on left has sliding CR Piermayr clear from box at 7 yards.
57 min...TFC Bloom cross from 25 yards on right is over goalie and falling TFC Gilberto. Recross from TFC Morrow on left wins cornerkick as TFC Jackson header from 10 yards deflects off defender.
58 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from right has TFC Jackson head ball forward from 15 yards and TFC De Rostario heads 5 yarder that deflects off CR O'Neill and over net.
58 min...TFC Bekker low cornerkick from right has defender block. TFC Bekker gets ball back and 33 yard cross from right deflects off defender at 20 yards and pops into box where TFC Caldwell misses header but wins cornerkick.
59 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from left is out to right and TFC Nakajima-Farran chips ball into box from 25 yards but defender clears.
60 min...TFC Gilberto on 3 on 3 rush kicks 30 yarder down middle that goalie catches.
60 min...TFC De Rosario rolls pass forward to TFC Jackson who runs out of room and wins cornerkick on cross on left line.
61 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from left is partially cleared. TFC Jackson gets to loose ball on right and shoots just over net from 15 yards.
62 min...CR sub...Brown replaces Torres.
64 min...TFC De Rosario wins freekick when he's pushed over by CR Burch at 25 yards on right.
66 min...TFC sub...Wiedeman replaces De Rosario.
67 min...TFC Bekker 30 yard freekick from far right has defenders stop in 6 yard box and deflects off TFC player for goalkick. CR Mari is injured on play in box.
70 min...TFC Morrow cross from 30 yards on left into box is cleared by CR Mari header at 10 yards.
72 min...CR Sturgis 35 yard freekick from right is headed out of box from 15 yards.
73 min...CR sub...Serna replaces Sturgis.
74 min...TFC Nakajima-Farran low cross from 30 yards on left has CR O'Neill at 15 yards clear. TFC Jackson wins freekick near edge of box on right when dragged over by CR Buddle.
75 min...TFC Bekker 22 yard freekick from right hits right post and deflects for throw-in on right.
76 min...Rapids Edson Buddle GOAL...CR Thomas Piermayr on run on right crosses from 35 yards into box where CR Dillon Serna bounces high 10 yarder from left side of goal across box and CR Deshorn Brown heads ball downwards from 8 yards and retreating Serna taps ball back to charging CR Dillon Powers who dribbles in from 15 yards over to left side of goal and cuts back centering pass past two chasing defenders and Buddle shoots low 5 yarder past falling TFC Bradley Orr and diving goalie Julio Cesar into left side of net.
79 min...CR Brown is finally checked off ball inside right side of TFC box after long string of CR possession.
80 min...TFC Gilberto can't win freekick on edge of CR box as two defenders including CR LaBrocca converge.
80 min...TFC Nakajima-Farran chip from 22 yards on right is over head of leaping TFC Wiedeman at 6 yards and bounces left for goalkick .
82 min...TFC Bloom chips 40 yard shot from right over players and goalie catches at 6 yards.
84 min...TFC Hall wins cornerkick on 28 yard cross from right that deflects off defender and over net.
84 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from right has TFC Caldwell in crowd of players on left pop header from 8 yards well over net.
85 min...TFC Gilberto rushes forward to 35 yards up middle and rolls pass over to TFC Jackson at 30 yards on left who rolls pass forward to TFC Morrow who runs to near end line and crosses through players and TFC Gilberto at 18 yards sends midair kick bouncing for goalie to smother.
86 min...TFC Jackson cross from 30 yards on left has goalie outjump TFC Gilberto on right side of net to make catch at 6 yards.
87 min...CR Serna blasts 20 yard shot from left that goalie pushes wide left of post.
88 min...CR players waste cornerkick from left trying to work ball into box.
88 min...TFC goalie dives to right to beat CR Buddle to ball bouncing into box.
89 min...TFC sub...Hamilton replaces Bloom.
90 min...TFC Nakajima-Farran bumps over CR Powers at TFC 45 yard line near left sideline injurying him.
91 min...TFC Gilberto bumps CR Moor jumping over him for ball at CR 50 yards but TFC awarded freekick.
92 min...TFC Bekker cross from 30 yards on right has CR LaBrocca just inside box head ball away.
93 min...TFC Bekker freekick from 25 yards down middle hits left post high just under crossbar and ball deflects wide left for goalkick.
94 min...TFC Gilberto at 25 yards on far right crosses ball into box but defender clears at 15 yards in center of box.
94 min...CR Brown has run in from 40 yards on left but TFC Caldwell checks him off ball at 6 yards near left end line and goalie dives on ball.
94 min...game ends 6:03pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC......0..........Colorado Rapids...........1........

Attendance was announced as a sellout at 22591, and we were reminded that was their second straight. I wouldn't say that many people actually showed up as there were patches of empty seats. The day had started off sunny but clouded up like it was going to rain but it just felt damp. The weather was a lot warmer compared to the opening game. The two subsequent Saturday's were actually almost as cold and later this week the temperature will drop again to near the freezing mark.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as Jackson. He had some runs down the wings and sent in a few crosses but wasn't much better than a half dozen other players.

The game program pointed out that TFC had won all six home games they'd ever played against the Rapids since entering the league. I thought with TFC's disasterous record over the last two years, they didn't hold any records like that anymore. I have seen the Rapids win at BMO Field before--that was when they won the MLS Cup in 2010 beating FC Dallas in extra time. The program also pointed out that Edson Buddle, Marvell Wynne, Nathan Sturgis and Nick La Brocca had played for TFC in prior years. With the changes in player personnel over the years there are plenty of opportunities for ex-TFC players to gain revenge on the team.

With Michael Bradley injured, Kyle Bekker took every freekick and cornerkick. I was wondering why as the game wore on but he did hit the post twice in the last 20 minutes of the game so at least he was getting closer.

Rapids leading scorer Vicente Sanchez with four goals although all on Penalty kicks was not in the lineup today. The TSN game crew reported he was back home in Uruguay waiting for the birth of his child.

With TFC playing without two of their three designated players (whereas in last week's win in Columbus they had two DPs on the field) it appears this team is a collection of stars and 'the rest of the team'. Jermaine Defoe was the other DP (with Bradley) who didn't play today. TFC also played without regular starters--defender Doneil Henry, and midfielder Jonathan Osorio.

Another scoreless game for DP Gilberto who was quoted as boasting he would score 25 goals this season. His missed shots made him look like the regular players of TFC over the years.

The Rapids had beaten Vancouver last week in another road game for them on two late goals on Jose Mari blasts. Today the TFC defence kept Mari from getting away any shots. Actually TFC limited the Rapids shots on net to just two. TFC had more scoring chances but wasted most of them when in close.

Jordan Hamilton came in at 89 minutes to make his pro debut. It was the best time to bring this young forward in as he'll be bumped down the depth chart when Jermaine Defoe returns. I'll assume staff decided it is better to have him sit on the bench rather than play regularly with their USL Pro affiliate Wilmington Hammerheads (now that they're not playing in the MLS Reserve Division). They only have sent three players so far in this deal.

Michael Bradley was on the cover of today's program and our tickets. Playing the previous two weekends plus a mid-week game in between with the US National team earned him a rest this week. It reminded me of previous seasons where the players would be traded or injured before we used our tickets so last year for the first time they changed the tickets to just be pictures of fan groups.

Early arrivals like me were given the TFC '2014 Official Yearbook' from the same publishers who make the matchday programs right down to the same number of pages.

The next home game for TFC is Saturday May 3rd at 1:00pm against New England Revolution. The game program reminds us that TFC has never lost a home game against New England.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com

Major Events

Scoring Summary
COL – Edson Buddle (Dillon Powers, Dillon Serna) 77’
                          
Misconduct Summary
TFC – Steven Caldwell 17’ (caution)

Records:
Toronto FC:       3-2-0   9 pts.
Colorado Rapids:  3-1-1  10 pts.       

Lineups

Toronto FC – Júlio César; 
Mark Bloom (Jordan Hamilton 90), Steven Caldwell ©, Bradley Orr, Justin Morrow; 
Jackson, Kyle Bekker, Jeremy Hall, Issey Nakajima-Farran; 
Dwayne De Rosario (Andrew Wiedeman 67’), Gilberto

Substitutes Not Used: Joe Bendik, Ryan Richter, Gale Agbossoumonde, Nick Hagglund, Ashtone Morgan

Colorado Rapids – Clint Irwin; 
Thomas Piermayr, Shane O’Neill, Drew Moor ©, Brian Mullan; 
Jose Mari, Nathan Sturgis (Dillon Serna 74’), Nick LaBrocca, Dillon Powers; 
Edson Buddle, Gabriel Torres (Deshorn Brown 63’)

Substitutes Not Used: John Berner, Kamani Hill, Charles Eloundou, Marvell Wynne, Jared Watts

Stats:

TOR                       CR
14    Shots                6 
6     Shots On Goal        2 
13    Fouls               20 
2     Corner Kicks         4 
3     Offsides             2 
37.2% Time of Possession 62.8% 
1     Yellow Card          1 
0     Red Cards            0 
2     Saves                5 

Attendance: 22591

OFFICIALS
Referee David Gantar     
Assistant Referee Phill Briere     
Assistant Referee Richard Gamache     
Fourth Official Justin Tasev

Toronto FC starters