May 3, 2014 MLS--Toronto FC vs New England Revolution (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result of the Saturday May 3, 2014, MLS game between Toronto FC and New England Revolution played at BMO Field in Toronto at 1:00pm.

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

.....................30 Julio Cesar
28 Mark Bloom...13 Steven Caldwell (cpt)...15 Doneil Henry...2 Justin Morrow
11 Jackson...8 Kyle Bekker...4 Michael Bradley...21 Jonathan Osorio
..............9 Gilberto...18 Jermain Defoe

Subs:...12 Joseph Bendik (gk)...14 Dwayne De Rosario (fwd)...16 Bradley Orr (def)...17 Nick Hagglund (def)...20 Issey Nakajima-Farian (mid) ...23 Alvaro Rey (mid)...32 Andrew Wiedeman (fwd)
team official:...head coach Ryan Nelsen

New England Revolution (all white, navy names and numbers)

.....................22 Bobby Shuttleworth
25 Darrius Barnes...2 Andrew Farrell...30 Kevin Alston...5 A J Soares
10 Teal Bunbury...12 Andy Dorman (cpt)...24 Lee Nguyen...14 Diego Fagundez
.............16 Daigo Kobayashi...7 Patrick Mullins

Subs:...18 Brad Knighton (gk)...4 Steve Neumann (mid)...6 Scott Caldwell (mid)...8 Chris Tierney (def)...9 Charlie Davies (fwd)
...15 Stephen McCarthy (def)...27 Jerry Bengtson (fwd)
team official:...head coach Jay Heaps

Game officials:...referee Mark Geiger...referee's assistants Joe Fletcher and Gianni Facchini...fourth official Mathieu Bourdeau
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 1:13pm...TFC defends south end on this cool, overcast and windy afternoon with the wind from the south. It would rain in the second half.
2 min...TFC Defoe leads rush from NE 40 yards with TFC Gilberto on left. Defoe taps pass over to Gilberto from 20 yards and Gilberto runs into 7 yards on left and rolls ball to sliding goalie as NE Soares gets back to challenge him getting away a shot.
4 min...TFC Defoe at 25 yards rolls pass forward to charging TFC Osorio who has ball hit him in the heel and pop forward as he splits the defence at 15 yards and shoulders ball down. TFC Gilberto steps in front of him from left and rolls 8 yard shot wide right as Osorio bumps him over.
5 min...TFC Jackson GOAL...TFC Gilberto rolls pass from 40 yards on left to right where Jackson receives it and after short run blasts low shot from 25 yards that deflects off NE AJ Soares at 18 yards and rolls into low right side of net as goalie Bobby Shuttleworth is caught flat footed in center of net.
7 min...NE Fagundez runs to near left end line to rescue forward pass from middle and rolls ball back to charging NE Kobayashi at 18 yards on left and his low shot has TFC defender slide and clear ball off arm of NE player in box and whistle blown for TFC freekick.
8 min...NE Ferrall at 5 yards near NE left post heads cross from 25 yards along left end line out for cornerkick.
9 min...TFC Bekker cornerkick from right is into box and partially cleared on left. TFC Morrow shanks 28 yard rebound well high and wide left of net.
10 min...NE Nguyen 40 yard freekick from right has TFC Bradley pop up header at 8 yards on left and play is whistled down for pushing in the box.
12 min...TFC Caldwell chips 55 yarder and TFC Jackson from 20 yards heads ball across box that goalie picks up on bounce.
12 min...TFC Osorio makes sliding tackle at 12 yards to stop run of NE Bunbury charging into TFC box for through ball.
13 min...TFC Bloom heads away ball in TFC box on cross from NE Fagundez at 20 yards on right.
13 min...TFC Osorio wins freekick just outside NE box when he's pushed over by NE Fagundez.
14 min...TFC Bradley 20 yard freekick from left is blasted over net.
17 min...TFC Bradley chips ball from 55 yards forward and charging TFC Gilberto chests ball from 25 yards into box for NE goalie to pick up at 15 yards.
18 min...NE Fagundez has low 18 yard shot up middle blocked by TFC Caldwell at 15 yards.
20 min...NE Barnes on run down right crosses from 30 yards on far right to NE Mullins who flubs shot at 15 yards in middle and ball rolls across box and out left side.
21 min...TFC Defoe is checked off ball by retreating defender on left side of NE box as he tries to get by another defender at 15 yards.
22 min...TFC Gilberto rushes to receive pass on right side of box and he rolls centering pass back to 25 yards but ball is intercepted.
23 min...NE Patrick Mullins GOAL...TFC Doneil Henry pass up middle at TFC 40 yards is intercepted by NE Daigo Kobayashi at 50 yards and he quickly rolls pass forward to charging NE Mullins at 25 yards and he gets blasted shot from 20 yards around TFC Steven Caldwell up middle into top middle of net beyond flying goalie.
24 min...NE Kobayashi blasts 45 yard shot up middle and ball is wide right of net.
25 min...TFC Jackson 45 yard chip from right is over players and bounces too far ahead of TFC Gilberto and wide left of net.
26 min...NE Farrell heads ball back to goalie to avoid TFC Defoe.
27 min...NE Nguyen receives low cross from left and turns at 12 yards to elude defender and gets away shot that sliding TFC Caldwell blocks at 6 yards. Ball pops over to NE Mullins who blasts midair shot from 6 yards high and wide right of net.
27 min...TFC Defoe rushes forward and taps pass to right for TFC Jackson to have shot blocked at 12 yards by sliding goalie.
29 min...TFC Defoe 30 yard blast is wide left of goal.
29 min...TFC Osorio taps pass forward from 20 yards after chesting cross from right downwards and to TFC Gilberto and he shoots roller from 12 yards just wide right of post.
31 min...NE Alston chips 22 yard shot from left that goalie catches. Alston pulls up injured.
33 min...TFC Jackson cross from 30 yards on far right deflects off defender and is caught by goalie on right post.
34 min...NE sub...Tierney replaces still injured Alston.
34 min...NE Barnes long throw-in from 20 yard line bounces in box and TFC defender heads ball away from 6 yards.
36 min...TFC Caldwell chips 55 yarder from right over players that goalie catches near edge of box.
37 min...NE Nguyen crosses from 22 yards on left over players and charging NE Bumbury beats offside trap but misses connecting at 8 yards and goalie gets down to block and catches ball at 5 yards when it pops up as Bunbury has run by him.
39 min...TFC Morrow rush to 22 yards on left and wins cornerkick on deflection off retreating NE Bunbury at 20 yards.
40 min...TFC Bradley low cornerkick from left is cleared and eventual low recross by TFC Caldwell at 18 yards on right bounces to goalie on right post.
41 min...TFC Henry slides to poke ball away from charging NE Nguyen on right edge of TFC box.
41 min...TFC YELLOW card...Jackson earns it for high kick follow through on NE Tierney at NE 45 yard line injurying him.
43 min...TFC Jackson is injured at NE 45 yard line in collision with NE Tierney.
45 min...NE Fagundez blasts 28 yard shot down middle just over net and wide right.
47 min...NE Nguyen 30 yard freekick from left is blocked by head in TFC player wall.
48 min...half ends 2:02pm.

Halftime Entertainment:...It was the most eventful of the three games this season. Rachel Bonnetta introduced the winners of Scott's lawn care products special seats in the north end. Then it was time for her to present a travel bag to today's season ticket holder winner (a new feature). There was a "10 questions with a TFC player" segment (today it was Michael Bradley). Then a Penalty kick challenge by today's sponser Pizza Pizza. A plastic curtain was hung over the north goal and a contestant was given a shot each at increasingly smaller targets to try to win prizes. He missed the slice of pizza, whole pizza, pizza party, then kicked the ball through a spot not much bigger than the ball itself to win free pizza for a year by bouncing a low shot in.

The groundscrew was patching up holes in the pitch but also the sprinklers were turned on which later appeared unnecessary as rain would start within the five minutes of the second half starting.

2nd Half:...half starts 2:18pm.
45 min...TFC Gilberto given short pass and blasts low shot from 25 yards up middle and defender blocks at 15 yards. TFC Bradley runs in from 22 yards and taps pass forward and to left for TFC Osorio who crosses low from 18 yards on left to TFC Defoe who had run past 6 yards in middle and defender boots ball away. TFC Bradley has ball deflect off him at 16 yards and ball lands over on left for TFC Osorio to run back for it at 20 yards and turn and tap ball forward for charging TFC Morrow to rescue on left end line and tap pass back and NE Kobayashi clears from 10 yards on left.
48 min...NE Kobayahsi is poked off ball on edge of TFC box by TFC Bekker.
49 min...NE Tierney pushes ball on left over end line before he can cross.
50 min...TFC Defoe has 15 yard shot from left blocked by NE Nguyen.
52 min...NE Tierney quick 30 yard freekick is tap over centering pass to NE Nguyen who shoots low 25 yarder shoot is low and wide left.
54 min...TFC Osorio cross from 25 yards on left has retreating defender jump and stop TFC Gilberto from getting to ball at 10 yards. TFC Jackson gets ball and runs to 10 yards and cross from left has NE Barnes at 5 yards wide of left post head ball wide right of net.
54 min...TFC Bekker short quick cornerkick has TFC Osorio cross from 25 yards on left and NE Farrell at 12 yards on left heads ball away.
55 min...TFC Jackson pushes over NE Soares who was attempting a backwards clearance inside NE box and NE awarded a freekick.
56 min...NE sub...(Scott) Caldwell replaces Kobayashi.
56 min...TFC win freekick as NE player bashes through defenders on edge of TFC box to get to high bouncing through ball.
57 min...TFC YELLOW card...Bradley loses possession of ball and earns card for tripping NE Nguyen at NE 25 yards.
58 min...TFC Defoe cross from left to TFC Osorio who shoulders ball down in middle and before ball hits ground shoots high and wide right from 20 yards.
66 min...NE Bunbury bends in 22 yard shot from left that's caught by goalie in center of net.
67 min...TFC Morrow cross from 25 yards on left has NE Farrell connect on flying header at 12 yards to clear ball from box.
67 min...TFC sub...Rey replaces Bekker.
70 min...TFC Jackson and Bloom play give and go on the right and Bloom rolls cross from 18 yards on right and defender clears at 7 yards as TFC player has already slipped on wet grass.
71 min...TFC Bradley 45 yard freekick from right has NE defender clear ball at 15 yards but play is whistled down for pushing in box.
72 min...NE Tierney freekick from 20 yards near right end line has leaping TFC Caldwell head ball away at 3 yards near right post. NE Nguyen chips forward and to right for Tierney but too far forward and ball bounces over end line.
74 min...NE YELLOW card...Fagundez earns it for pushing over TFC Bloom racing over center line on right wing.
75 min...TFC Bradley chips 50 yard freekick from right and NE goalie charges forward in front of crowd of players in box and makes catch at 15 yards.
76 min...NE sub...Neumann replaces Fagundez.
76 min...NE Farrell makes another flying header to clear TFC player's cross into NE box.
77 min...TFC sub...Nakajima-Farran replaces Jackson.
78 min...NE Neumann 40 yard cross from near left sideline has defender step in front of NE Bunbury and pop up header at 10 yards on right and goalie picks up bouncer.
79 min...NE Bunbury low shot from 22 yards on right is pushed wide right by diving goalie at 3 yards.
79 min...NE Tierney cornerkick from right is whistled down in box for retake.
80 min...NE Tierney cornerkick from right is low and TFC Osorio kicks it away on the fly from 5 yards near right post. NE Neumann is passed ball on left and chips cross from 30 yards into box and TFC Morrow heads ball from 6 yards right of net. NE Mullins rushes forward to take shot at 12 yards up middle and TFC Henry slides towards him from left side with arm raised and ball hits him in the arm. Referee whistles play for a Penalty kick.
81 min...NE Lee Nguyen GOAL...Nguyen blasts Penalty kick to top right corner of net as goalie Julio Cesar slumps over to left.
83 min...TFC Bradley 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Henry charge forward and head ball over net from 6 yards near left post.
85 min...TFC Bloom crosses from 25 yards on right and TFC Gilberto heads ball from 7 yards that flying goalie gets hands to but ball deflects off him and hits right post but rebounds back to goalie for him to catch at 2 yards. NE goalie is injured on play.
86 min...TFC sub...De Rosario replaces Bloom.
87 min...NE Nguyen rolls pass from 40 yards on left sideline forward and center to charging NE Bunbury who gets to ball at 22 yards and he spins around TFC Morrow and kicks 18 yarder down middle well over net.
87 min...TFC Bradley in middle taps pass over to TFC Defoe who shoots 16 yarder just wide left of post.
89 min...TFC Morrow on left just wide of box rolls centering pass and TFC Defoe at 18 yards on left taps ball back for TFC Bradley but defender steps in way and kicks ball away.
90 min...TFC Rey cornerkick from right is low and nearest NE defender at 8 yards on right gets head to it for clearance.
90 min...TFC Bradley in crowd of players blasts hip high 18 yarder down middle and over net.
91 min...NE YELLOW card...Scott Caldwell earns it for time wasting at TFC 50 yard line lining up a freekick.
92 min...TFC Nakajima-Farran can't win freekick on bump just outside NE box.
93 min...NE Nguyen keeps possession with three defenders on him wide left of box and cuts towards goal along end line and takes 8 yard shot that goalie blocks 1 yard wide left of post.
93 min...TFC Morrow crosses from 35 yards on left and TFC Bradley gets to ball that defender headed down at 15 yards in center of box but he's stripped of ball as he turns and runs towards goal.
94 min...TFC Rey cross from 30 yards near right sideline has NE Barnes head away from just inside box.
94 min...TFC De Rosario receives pass at 12 yards on left and runs to end line where he shanks shot and it rolls over end line for goalkick.
95 min...game ends 3:08pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC......1..........New England Revolution...........2........

Attendance was announced as a sellout at 22591, their third in their three home games this year. The same announcement to tell us this included a thank you disclaimer "...despite the weather and the bugs". There was a rain during the second half (not hard enough to ruin my binoculars like last year) that stopped me taking notes for a 20 minute period. I noticed a few small bugs but they didn't bite me and I was unsure there was a problem elsewhere in the stadium until I used the washroom after the game and saw bugs crawling the wall. The oncoming rain didn't stop the groundscrew from watering the grass at halftime. The rain got a lot worse 45 minutes after the game.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as midfielder Jonathan Osorio. He returned to the roster after missing their last four games with an injury. He sent in some great passes and set up Gilberto numerous times and I agree with this choice. He limped off the field after the game but stayed on for the last minutes of the game because TFC had used up their subs.

The game program mentioned TFC had never lost a home game to the Revs for a 2 wins and 5 ties record which I found hard to believe with so many bad TFC teams since 2007 but their last home game was the first time they'd ever lost to Colorado.

Doneil Henry returned to action on defence after missing three games but he could be blamed for both goals with a giveaway pass at 23 minutes for the tieing goal and a handball in the box that resulted in the winning Penalty kick.

TFC didn't play desperate enough after falling behind at 81 minutes. They continued to pass the ball too often and made many unforced errors although the had a few good chances.

TFC Dwayne De Rosario was subbed in at 85 minutes and replaced defender Mark Bloom after they were losing so a defender didn't matter. Gilberto was allowed to play the full game. De Rosario should have had at least 20 minutes and replace Gilberto. De Rosario did shank a cross attempt along the left end line and had the ball roll out at 94 minutes.

TFC had more possession today than any of their previous games this season.

The Revs wasted time after they took the lead and the five minutes of added time was deserved. Goalie Bobby Shuttleworth was the major offender but it was midfielder Scott Caldwell who earned a Yellow card for stalling before taking a freekick near the center line.

TFC Gilberto was drawing hoots from near me for his constant missing of chances. He hasn't scored in their seven games although there were a few games without service although he had no shortage of chances in today's game. Even Jermain Defoe missed chances. I wonder if he will become like Robert Earnshaw was last year?--start the season off great than fizzle? There is a physical resemblance between the two players.

The TFC goal wasn't even a highlight reel goal but an opportunistic low shot from 25 yards by Jackson that deflected off the Revs defender at 15 yards and changed direction into the lower right corner of the net as the goalie shuffled left.

TFC were coming off a bye week and the break was supposed to give them time for their injured players to heal. Now maybe team officials will say they were a little rusty.

Pregame news had TFC sending teenage forward Jordan Hamilton to their USL Pro affiliate in Wilmington to get regular playing time. He'd only played one game so far as a substitute at 89 minutes against Colorado.

The next home game for TFC is Wednesday May 7th at 7:30pm against Vancouver Whitecaps in the first game of the semi-final for the Amway Canadian Championship. The Whitecaps have never been Canadian champions of this competition since 2002 when it was known as the Voyageurs Cup and the Toronto entry until 2007 was the Toronto Lynx. Toronto FC has won it from 2009 to 2012 and Montreal Impact has won it every other year.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com

Scoring Summary
TFC – Jackson (Gilberto) ‘6
NE – Patrick Mullins (Daigo Kobayashi) ‘24
NE – Lee Nguyen (PK) ‘82
                            
Misconduct Summary
TFC – Jackson ’43 (caution)
TFC – Michael Bradley ’58 (caution)
NE – Diego Fagundez ’75 (caution)
NE – Scott Caldwell ‘90+2 (caution)
  
Records:
Toronto FC:  3-4-0  9pts.
New England Revolution:  4-3-2  14pts.

Lineups
Toronto FC – Júlio César; 
Justin Morrow, Steve Caldwell ©, Doneil Henry, Mark Bloom (Dwayne De Rosario ’87); 
Jackson (Issey Nakajima-Farran ’78), Kyle Bekker (Álvaro Rey ’68), Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio; 
Gilberto, Jermain Defoe

Substitutes Not Used: Joe Bendik, Andrew Wiedeman, Nick Hagglund, Bradley Orr

New England Revolution – Bobby Shuttleworth; 
Darrius Barnes, A.J. Soares, Andrew Farrell, Kevin Alston (Chris Tierney ’35); 
Daigo Kobayashi (Scott Caldwell ‘57), Andy Dorman ©, Lee Nguyen, Diego Fagundez (Steve Neumann 77’), Patrick Mullins; 
Teal Bunbury

Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton, Stephen McCarthy, Jerry Bengtson, Charlie Davies

Stats:

TOR                       NER
15    Shots                14
 3    Shots On Goal         5 
 9    Off Target            5
 3    Blocked               4      
18    Fouls                13 
 4    Corner Kicks          1 
60.2% Time of Possession  39.8% 
528   Total Passes        341
 82%  Accuracy             74%
 2    Yellow Card           2 
 0    Red Cards             0 

Attendance: 22591

OFFICIALS

Referee Mark Geiger     
Assistant Referee Joe Fletcher     
Assistant Referee Gianni Facchini     
Fourth Official Mathieu Bourdeau

Toronto FC starters