July 5, 2014 MLS--Toronto FC vs D.C. United (by Rocket Robin)

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Result of the Saturday July 5, 2014, MLS game between Toronto FC and D.C. United played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

.......................12 Joseph Bendik
28 Mark Bloom...13 Steven Caldwell (cpt)...17 Nick Hagglund...2 Justin Morrow
16 Bradley Orr...4 Michael Bradley...26 Collen Warner...11 Jackson
..............27 Luke Moore...18 Jermain Defoe

Subs:...1 Chris Konopka (gk)...8 Kyle Bekker (mid)...14 Dwayne De Rosario (mid)...15 Doneil Henry (def)...21 Jonathan Osorio (mid)
...23 Dominic Oduro (fwd)...35 Daniel Lovitz (mid)
team officials:...head coach Ryan Nelsen

D. C. United (all black, white names and numbers)

........................28 Bill Hamid
.......5 Sean Franklin...32 Bobby Boswell (cpt)...15 Steve Birnbaum
14 Nick DeLeon...8 Davy Arnaud...23 Perry Kitchen...22 Chris Korb...18 Chris Rolfe
...............7 Eddie Johnson...11 Luis Silva

Subs:...50 Andrew Dykstra (gk)...4 Nana Attakora (def)...24 Lewis Neal (mid)...25 Jared Jeffrey (mid)...27 Collin Martin (mid)
...30 Conor Doyle (fwd)...33 Taylor Kemp (def)
team officials:...head coach Ben Olsen

Game officials:...referee David Gantar...referee's assistants Daniel Belleau and Gianni Facchini...fourth official Silviu Petrescu
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 7:08pm...TFC defends south end on this mild evening with a bright sun in the north west.
4 min...DCU goalie picks up through ball (sent in from TFC side of center line) at 15 yards in front of charging TFC Defoe.
7 min...TFC Defoe and Jackson are ruled offside on their rush in which Defoe finishes by kicking ball high and wide left of net from 12 yards.
8 min...DCU Johnson gets to high through ball at 15 yards sent in by DCU Arnaud but runs to left and lets ball roll over end line as pursued by defender.
10 min...TFC Jackson rush down left including a few headers for himself but checked off ball on left side of box by DCU Kitchen.
12 min...TFC Moore and Defoe work up pass play up middle but are checked off ball on edge of box.
15 min...TFC Defoe taps pass over to TFC Bradley but from 20 yards he pushes ball over endline on right.
16 min...DCU Arnaud 45 yard chip from left has TFC Hagglund head ball away from just inside box.
17 min...DCU Rolfe jumps/trips over goalie who slides out for save at 15 yards on left.
18 min...TFC Moore from 15 yards on right endline sends low cross through box and has TFC Defoe miss at 7 yards and defender clears on left.
20 min...TFC Defoe gets break on left when sent forward pass by TFC Warner and shoots low 10 yard shot that deflects off sliding goalie at 6 yards and out for throw-in.
22 min...DCU Kitchen bends in 40 yard chip from left that's well over net.
23 min...DCU Silva 50 yard freekick from right has TFC Bradley pop up header at 22 yards and ball then cleared.
28 min...TFC Morrow rolls pass from 22 yards on left that sliding TFC Defoe just misses touching at 7 yards but goalie smothers at 4 yards.
29 min...TFC Jackson rush down left and rolls cross from 25 yards near end line that goalie picks up.
29 min...TFC Jackson concedes cornerkick on slide at 15 yards on right side of box on DCU Franklin low cross from 28 yards on right.
30 min...DCU Silva cornerkick from right is headed away by TFC Bradley at 10 yards and DCU Korb rolls 28 yard shot up middle wide left of net.
33 min...TFC Defoe falls but taps ball back to TFC Bradley who blasts 20 yard shot high and wide right of net.
33 min...DCU goalie out of box to 25 yards to head through ball up middle pass away from TFC Defoe.
34 min...TFC Moore 40 yard shot up middle deflects off DCU Birnbaum at 30 yards and over net for cornerkick.
35 min...TFC Jackson cornerkick from right is short and TFC players can't get ball into box.
36 min...TFC Bloom wins cornerkick on right with defender pushing ball over end line.
36 min...TFC Warner cornerkick from right has goalie has TFC Hagglund stick out foot at 15 yards and deflect ball towards goal down middle and goalie makes save on dive to right post.
38 min...DCU Franklin blasts 30 yarder from right well over net after receiving short pass from DCU Johnson in middle.
39 min...DCU Franklin is injured in collision with TFC Jackson at DCU 40 yard line as both went for header.
42 min...DCU goalie at 7 yards leaps to catch cross from 30 yards on left sent in by TFC Morrow.
43 min...TFC goalie catches tipped ball from 15 yards up middle from DCU Johnson.
44 min...TFC Bradley rolls pass forward for TFC Defoe run up left and he rolls 22 yard shot that goalie slides for easy save on left post with TFC Jackson missing deflection touch at 15 yards on left.
45 min...half ends 7:53pm.

Halftime Entertainment: The usual events of pizza slice and ice cream as well as upgraded seat prizes there was something different. Loopy Ball a game with three players on each team dressed in a bubble suit. They used the mini goals they use for the kids soccer game that we are used to seeing. There was a lot of bumping and tipping over when two players went for the ball--more like North American football.

2nd Half:...starts 8:09pm...the weather is still the same but a bit windier.
halftime sub:...TFC Oduro replaces Orr.
46 min...TFC Bloom slides to keep in ball on right near cornerflag and gets up and crosses that DCU Franklin at 10 yards heads out of box from left.
46 min...DCU Rolfe rolls ball unplayed up middle through players from 25 yards that goalie picks up.
48 min...TFC Morrow at 25 yards on left crosses into box and over TFC Defoe, TFC Jackson taps ball over to TFC Oduro on right and he crosses from 22 yards on right and defender at 8 yards heads it away. TFC Warner pushes ball forward into box from 30 yards where TFC Defoe rolls ball from 18 yards for charging TFC Morrow who passes through 6 yard box from left unplayed.
50 min...DCU Silva 30 yard freekick up middle hits player wall. DCU Korb eventually sends high chip in from 40 yards from right and DCU Birnbaum leaps to head from 15 yards on left across box and DCU Silva bicycle kick from 10 yards is called back for Birnbaum's climbing onto TFC Bloom's back to make header.
53 min...DCU Nick DeLeon GOAL...DeLeon rush in from 35 yards near sideline on right surviving bumps by TFC Nick Hagglund who falls at 15 yards on right and DeLeon rushes even with 15 yard line to middle with TFC Warner sliding across trying to block shot. DeLeon even with right post shoots 15 yard shot between goalie Joseph Bendik and Hagglund at 4 yards into right side of net.
56 min...DCU pressure ends with offside flag when DCU Franklin gets ball at 8 yards on left after he tries two crosses.
58 min...TFC Jackson chip from 28 yards on left has DCU Birnbaum head ball away from 10 yards in middle.
59 min...TFC Luke Moore GOAL...TFC Jermain Defoe receives pass at 25 yards on left from TFC Jackson and runs to near end line and rolls cross from 12 yards back for charging TFC Jackson who shoots low 12 yarder that goalie Bill Hamid sprawls to save at 2 yards on right side of net but gives up rebound and Moore slides in to 5 yards and poke ball into net.
60 min...TFC sub...Osorio replaces Bradley.
61 min...TFC Oduro cross from 25 yards on far right drifts behind net.
61 min...DCU sub...Neal replaces Silva.
63 min...TFC Bloom cross from 30 yards on right sideline has TFC Jackson in middle pop header from 15 yards wide left of net.
64 min...DCU goalie dives on ball at 8 yards to smother ball on rush by TFC Defoe up middle but pushed ball too far forward from 22 yards trying to get past defender.
65 min...DCU Kitchen cross into box has defenders stop two shots and clear upfield.
66 min...TFC Jackson shot from 22 yards deflects off defender and wide right for cornerkick.
66 min...TFC Warner cornerkick from right has defender head ball away. Warner gets ball back and cross into box has defender in right side of box make clearance.
67 min...TFC Osorio 45 yard freekick from right has TFC Hagglund at 20 yards in crowd of players head ball over net.
68 min...DCU Perry Kitchen GOAL...DCU Lewis Neal cornerkick from right has Kitchen in crowd of players leap at 5 yards in middle and head ball into right side of net.
70 min...TFC Defoe on run survives being tripped up and takes 20 yard shot that deflects off DCU Birnbaum and DCU Boswell at 8 yards concedes cornerkick.
70 min...TFC Osorio cornerkick from right is headed away and is rolled over to TFC Bloom who chips ball from 28 yards on right back into box just too far ahead of charging TFC Oduro at 10 yards and ball bounces wide left of net.
71 min...TFC Morrow cross from 25 yards on left into box has ball only partially cleared and TFC Defoe rolls pass for TFC Oduro on right just inside box and he blasts 10 yard shot that's blocked.
75 min...DCU DeLeon on rush up middle rolls pass from 30 yards forward and to left for DCU Neal who receives ball on edge of box and shoots roller from 15 yards that sliding TFC defender stops at 5 yards and Neal gets rebound and chips cross from 12 yards on left that TFC Hagglund heads away from 5 yards near right post.
75 min...TFC Warner from 30 yards on right chips ball into box where defender beats TFC Jackson at 10 yards on left to head ball away.
76 min...TFC sub...Lovitz replaces Jackson.
77 min...TFC Defoe is checked off ball in right side of box before he can turn upon receiving pass.
78 min...DCU sub...Doyle replaces DeLeon.
79 min...TFC Lovitz after run down left sideline to 20 yards near end line sends in low cross that DCU Boswell at 15 yards on left kicks away for throw-in.
80 min...TFC Warner dribbles into box from 30 yards on left and DCU defender slides to block his cross attempt from 8 yards on left.
80 min...TFC Osorio chips in pass from 30 yards up middle and TFC Morrow has 12 yard midair shot partially blocked by DCU Doyle and goalie catches on bounce.
82 min...TFC Defoe low 25 yard blast up middle between players has goalie dive to save and smother on right post.
83 min...TFC Warner touched back pass and blasts 30 yarder down middle well over net.
83 min...DCU sub...Martin replaces Rolfe.
84 min...TFC Defoe has 20 yard shot up middle blocked by sliding defender.
85 min...TFC RED card...Nick Hagglund earns a direct ejection from referee David Gantar for pulling down DCU Eddie Johnson at TFC 30 yard line after DCU Doyle sends long ball from DCU 20 yards upfield. He was initially given a Yellow card but referee's assistant Gianni Facchini pointed out that he was the last man back and he changed it to a Red card.
88 min...DCU Neal 30 yard freekick from right is poked around then DCU Johnson is flagged offside.
91 min...TFC Lovitz cross from 22 yards on far left is headed away. TFC Morrow cross from 30 yards on left is caught by goalie.
93 min...TFC Moore blasts 25 yarder down middle just wide left of net.
94 min...TFC Oduro cross from 22 yards on right is over box. TFC Lovitz cross from 25 yards on left is over box and defender heads ball away on right side.
95 min...TFC Warner chips 30 yard cross from left over to charging TFC Lovitz who volleys ball from 6 yards that goalie pushes wide left on short side.
95 min...TFC Moore short corner from left has TFC player take 25 yard shot from left that's though players in box and bounces wide right of net.
95 min...game ends 8:59pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC.......1..........D. C. United...........2........

Attendance was announced as a sellout at 22591 on a perfectly hot, sunny day. I'll say like I do most games that there were a few people who didn't show up. The team's last home game was almost a month ago. DCU brought a few hundred of their fans.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as defender Mark Bllom. He was comfortable in defence and had some good runs up the wings but there wasn't anything special from a normal game for him.

There were two TFC players I didn't expect to see play today:
1. Michael Bradley had just returned from Brazil on the USA World Cup team. The USA had played in their Round of 16 game on Tuesday against Belgium which went into extra time. I expected he'd get a rest or be a substitute but he played the first 60 minutes. Various reports on that tournament said he'd run 26 miles in those games. I noticed Bradley today in the midfield and up front but sometimes back playing defence so I could understand where he was rated as running the furthest of any player in Brazil.
2. Luke Moore was directly Red carded for an elbow to the head in the Wednesday away game in Chicago so his card must have been rescinded after a review. TFC execs complained earlier in the year that their guys were suspended AFTER the game by the same review commitee so this must have worked in their favour. Moore did score the TFC goal and did a good job of replacing Gilberto.

TFC had no Canadians in their starting lineup for the first time in as long as I can remember. They had four Canadians on the subs bench but Jonathan Osorio was the only one who got into the game. Even DCU had a Canadian sub dressed but Nana Attakora did not play. Ironically, Canadian National team defender Doneil Henry was on the cover of the game program.

DCU opened the game with a lot of passing in their own half which seemed to slow the game down and take the TFC fans out of the game.

TFC dominated play after the DCU second goal but DCU were able to clear or block balls in their box to keep TFC from tieing the game.

TFC were bragging about their six game unbeaten streak including three ties on the road but now they'll have to start again.

The game program was very repetitive. After one month off I was expecting they'd drop their World Cup fans story and the introduction of Michael Bradley to the team.

The Yellow card was turned into a Red as Nick Hagglund was the last man back as he pulled down Eddie Johnson. Referee's assistant Gianni Facchini signalled referee George Gantar over after the initial card but before the DCU freekick to get him to change the call.

I was expecting TFC to win this game as they'd beaten DCU here in the cold weather of March in their home opener and for today they were without their leading scorer Fabian Espindola with seven. At the time TFC had a reason if they didn't succeed as they needed time to gel with so many changes of players. The win moves DCU into first place in the Eastern Conference which is a huge difference from last year's tenth place (last) finish. TFC who finished ninth last season are currently fourth with games in hand on all the teams in the league.

There were no delays on the transit system. This starting time of the game was rescheduled months ago from the tickets which showed 4:00pm. The time was changed to 7:00pm for more fans to see the World Cup Quarterfinal between Netherlands and Costa Rica.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

MLS Regular Season at BMO Field
Attendance 22591
Weather Clear

Goals and Assists
54'   Nick DeLeon       Assisted By: Luis Silva 
60'   Luke Moore 
69'   Perry Kitchen     Assisted By: Lewis Neal 

Disciplinary
88'   Nick Hagglund  RED  Reason: Professional foul 

Records:
Toronto FC:  6-5-3  21pts.
D.C. United:  8-5-4  28pts. 

Lineups

Toronto FC – Joe Bendik; 
Mark Bloom, Steve Caldwell ©, Nick Hagglund, Justin Morrow; 
Jackson (Daniel Lovitz 77’), Michael Bradley (Jonathan Osorio 61’), Collen Warner, Bradley Orr (Dominic Oduro 45’); 
Jermain Defoe, Luke Moore

Substitutes Not Used: Chris Konopka, Doneil Henry, Kyle Bekker, Dwayne De Rosario

D.C. United – Bill Hamid; 
Sean Franklin, Steve Bimbaum, Chris Korb, Bobby Boswell ©; 
Perry Kitchen, Nick DeLeon (Conor Doyle 79’) Conor Doyle, Davy Arnaud, Luis Silva (Lewis Neal 62’); 
Chris Rolfe (Collin Martin 84’), Eddie Johnson      

Substitutes Not Used: Andrew Dykstra, Nana Attakora, Taylor Kemp, Jared Jeffrey

Stats:

TOR                            DCU
 19     Shots                    7 
  6     Shots on Target          2 
  6     Shots off Target         3 
  7     Blocked Shots            2 
  4     Corners                  3 
 31     Crosses                  9 
  5     Offsides                 4 
  8     Fouls                    7 
  0     Yellow Cards             0 
  1     Red Cards                0 
469     Total Passes           420 
 83 %   Passing Accuracy        79 % 
 53.5 % Possession              46.5 % 
 37     Duels Won               35 
 11     Tackles Won             14 
  0     Saves                    5 
 15     Clearances              27 

Officials
Referee  David Gantar 
Assistant Referee  Daniel Belleau 
Assistant Referee  Gianni Facchini 
Fourth Official  Silviu Petrescu

Toronto FC starters