July 22, 2015 International Friendly--Toronto FC vs Sunderland AFC (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result and details of the Wednesday July 22, 2015 International Friendly between the MLS Toronto FC and English Premier Sunderland AFC played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

.....................12 Joe Bendik
11 Jackson...15 Eriq Zavaleta...24 Damien Perquis...2 Justin Morrow
8 Benoit Cheyrou (cpt)...26 Collen Warner...18 Marky Delgado...19 Daniel Lovitz
.............55 Robbie Findley...10 Sebastian Giovinco

Subs:...25 Alex Bono (gk)...3 Warren Creavalle (def)...5 Ashtone Morgan (def)...7 Bright Dike (fwd)...14 Jay Chapman (mid)
...20 Christopher Mannella (mid)...21 Jonathan Osorio (mid)...22 Jordan Hamilton (fwd)...33 Skylar Thomas (def)
...34 Manny Aparicio (mid)...37 Adam Bouchard (mid)...41 Molham Babouli (fwd)...45 Luca Uccello (mid)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

Sunderland AFC (lime green socks and shorts, sherwood green shirts, white numbers)

..........................1 Costel Pantilimon
2 Billy Jones...16 John O'Shea (cpt)...5 Wes Brown...3 Patrick Van Aanholt
6 Lee Cattermole...8 Jack Rodwell...7 Sebastian Larsson...11 Adam Johnson
..............18 Jermain Defoe...9 Steven Fletcher

Subs:...25 Vito Mannone (gk)...12 Adam Matthews (def)...31 Tom Beadling (def)...41 Duncan Watmore (mid)...30 Will Buckley (mid)
...4 Liam Bridcutt (mid)...23 Emanuele Giaccherini (mid)
team officials:...Dick Advocaat

Game officials:...referee Sylviu Petrescu...referee's assistants Joe Fletcher and Marco Arruda...fourth official Yusri Rudolph
...(all black uniforms)

1st Half:...game starts 7:08pm...TFC defend south end on this mild evening with the bright sun in the north west.
50 sec...TFC Lovitz low cross from 30 yards on left has Sun Brown clear.
1 min...TFC Giovinco recovers poor goalie clearance at 10 yards on left but his quick shot has Sun Larsson deflect ball wide left for cornerkick.
1 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has goalie push ball wide right on short post.
2 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has TFC Jackson knock down ball and blast 18 yarder from right that goalie bats away just under bar.
3 min...Sun defender clears at 12 yards on TFC player's shot from 22 yards on right.
5 min...TFC Perquis pops header back to goalie from 20 yards over Sun Defoe.
6 min...TFC Giovinco 25 yard shot from left is wide right.
7 min...TFC Giovinco can't win freekick on rush to 20 yards when he was tripped up by Sun O'Shea.
7 min...Sun Van Aanholt low cross from 20 yards has TFC Perquis clear from middle of box.
10 min...Sun Defoe receives cross from 25 yards on right from Sun Jones has him head ball downward from 8 yards and ball bounces wide
right as goalie dives to post.
11 min...TFC goalie runs out to edge of box to catch ball over Sun Defoe.
13 min...Sun Rodwell crosses from 25 yards on left and Sun Fletcher shoots wide left from 12 yards on right.
15 min...TFC Giovinco 40 yard freekick from left has defender head ball away at 15 yards.
17 min...Sun Van Aanholt on sliding tackle steals ball from TFC Jackson on right end line.
18 min...TFC Giovinco chips pass from 50 yards up middle has goalie charge to edge of box to beat TFC Findley to through ball.
20 min...Sun player almost passes back into own net from 12 yards but goalie clears.
21 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has goalie bat down on left post but defender on right clears.
22 min...TFC Giovinco rushes to just inside box in middle after cutting in from left but Sun Jones knocks him off ball and clears.
23 min...Sun Van Aanholt low cross from 22 yards on left has ball cleared in middle of box.
24 min...Sun Fletcher on left taps to Sun Defoe who rolls to Sun Larsson who has 15 yard shot from right blocked by defender.
25 min...TFC Findley chip pass from 30 yards up middle has TFC Giovinco one-touch 20 yard shot just over bar.
26 min...Sun Larsson and TFC Lovitz wrestle each other for ball near TFC 45 yard line right sideline.
........Sun YELLOW card...Larsson earns it for play.
........TFC YELLOW card...Lovitz earns it for play.
29 min...TFC Giovinco cross from 18 yards on right has ball deflect off charging TFC Delgado at 5 yards and over end line including Delgado crashing into end boards.
31 min...TFC sub...Bono replaces Bendik in goal.
.........TFC sub...Creavalle replaces Warner.
.........TFC sub...Osorio replaces Perquis.
.........TFC sub...Chapman replaces Lovitz.
.........TFC sub...Mannella replaces Giovinco.
.........TFC sub...Thomas replaces Zavaleta.
.........TFC sub...Dike replaces Delgado.
.........TFC sub...Bouchard replaces Cheyrou.
The formation becomes: 25 Bono
11 Jackson...33 Thomas...37 Bouchard...2 Morrow
........3 Creavalle...20 Mannella...21 Osorio
.........7 Dike...14 Chapman...55 Findley
33 min...TFC Osorio 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Findley gets head to on charge at 5 yards and ball is saved by sprawling goalie in center of net. TFC Jackson taps pass to TFC Osorio who gets shot from 21 yards up middle wide right on deflection for cornerkick.
34 min...TFC Osorio cornerkick from right is flick headed through box out left side.
35 min...Sun Johnson blasts 35 yard shot from right that leaping goalie palms ball over net from 8 yards.
36 min...Sun player's cornerkick from right is partially cleared and Sun Cattermole whiffs on shot at 30 yards and defender clears.
40 min...TFC Jackson bends low cross from 35 yards on right and sliding TFC Dike misses connecting up middle at 6 yards.
41 min...Sun Rodwell cross from 30 yards on left and Sun Fletcher at 15 yards gets behind three defenders and gets away low 10 yard shot with TFC Morrow pulling him back and goalie slides to save at 6 yards.
45 min...TFC Findley rolls pass from 18 yards on left and ball finds TFC Osorio who deflects it just wide right of post from 6 yards up middle.
46 min...half ends 7:54pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There's the usual Pizza Pizza giveaway, Autograph Alley invitation card giveaway, ice cream drumsticks, and tonight 3 v 3 Loopyball bubble soccer where the 'TFC' team beat 'Sunderland' 1-0.

2nd Half:...starts 8:11pm.
halftime subs:...Sun Beadling replaces O'Shea.
................Sun Giaccherini replaces Johnson.
................Sun Bridcutt replaces Rodwell.
................Sun Matthews replaces Jones.
................TFC Morgan replaces Morrow.
................TFC Aparicio replaces Jackson.
45 min...TFC Jonathan Osorio GOAL...TFC Warren Creavalle passes forward on right from 45 yard line, TFC Bright Dike rushes forward and deflects ball past Sund Wes Brown at 20 yards and rescues ball on right end line and taps ball back to center of box. TFC Robbie Findley jabs at ball at 10 yards, TFC Jay Chapman falls over fallen defender at 8 yards and Sun Adam Matthews who'd was already on ground swept leg out to clear ball at 8 yards rolling it to Osorio on left and he took 10 yard low shot through four defenders and diving goalie Costel Pantilimon at 4 yards gets a hand to but tips it into right side of net.
47 min...Sun Johnson 28 yard freekick from right is bent to right and defender clears.
49 min...TFC Bouchard clears ball from right end line.
51 min...Sun Johnson 35 yard freekick from right bent to left corner of net but goalie bats ball away in crowd of players at 5 yards.
52 min...TFC Aparicio long run to ball on right end line but ball is already end line when crossed.
54 min...Sun Johnson dribbles past two defenders cutting in from 40 yards on right but blasts 22 yard shot up middle high over net.
56 min...TFC sub...Babouli replaces Findley.
57 min...Sun YELLOW card...Cattermole earns it for pulling down TFC Chapman at TFC 40 yard line.
58 min...TFC Morgan 25 yard cross from left after rush to corner is caught by goalie.
58 min...TFC Creavalle jumps to get foot in to beat Sun Defoe to pass at 25 yards in middle.
61 min...TFC Thomas makes good header at 7 yards to clear cross from 20 yards on left by Sun Van Aanholt.
62 min...Sun Johnson can't win Penalty kick on right edge of box when he runs into defender.
64 min...Sunderland Jermain Defoe GOAL...Sun Liam Bridcutt rushes forward from 35 yards and taps pass to Defoe at 18 yards. With defender on his back and not facing goal he tries to pass to charging Bridcutt but ball is blocked by TFC Skylar Thomas. Defoe gets ball back and pivots around right and gets away low shot before TFC Adam Bouchard can get foot in and the low 18 yard shot deflects off Bouchard at 16 yards and bounces into left corner of net past diving goalie Alex Bono.
65 min...TFC sub...Uccello replaces Osorio.
67 min...TFC Babouli bends low 25 yard kick from left that diving goalie pushes wide right of net.
68 min...Sunderland Jermain Defoe GOAL...Sun Steven Fletcher on 2 on 1 run on left runs to 12 yards and with goalie doing the splits on the left passes forward and to right to charging Defoe who rolls in shot from 7 yards to open net beating retreating defender Skylar Thomas trying to break up pass.
70 min...TFC Morgan 30 yard cross from left is just a step ahead of charging TFC Dike at 10 yards down middle and he can't connect on header.
73 min...Sun Johnson quick freekick cross from 28 yards on left has Sun Fletcher flick 12 yard header over defender wide right of net.
73 min...TFC Uccello 28 yard cross from left has goalie catch.
74 min...TFC sub...Hamilton replaces Morgan...this has Babouli move back to the midfield.
74 min...Sun Brown breaks up TFC pressure on rush by three TFC players by takiung the ball off TFC Dike at 12 yards and dribbles out of box.
75 min...TFC Dike 20 yard shot on far right deflect into short right webbing of net.
76 min...TFC Babouli cornerkick from right has defender on right head ball away.
78 min...TFC Babouli 28 yard freekick from right hits head of TFC Chapman at 10 yards and flicks wide left of net.
79 min...TFC Creavalle cross from right has Sun Brown clear at 10 yards, Sun Beadling clears Creavalle's recross from around same place.
81 min...TFC Chapman is checked off ball at 12 yards but wins cornerkick.
81 min...TFC Babouli cornerkick from right has defender boot away in center of box.
82 min...TFC Babouli 25 yard shot up middle has ball bend just wide right of post.
83 min...Sun Defoe blasts from 22 yards after cutting into middle hits TFC Bouchard in his back at 10 yards and deflects just wide left of post.
84 min...Sun players work out short cornerkick from left but chance is wasted when ball deflects of Sun player over end line.
84 min...Sun sub...Watmore replaces Fletcher.
86 min...TFC Babouli 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Hamilton in middle leap and head ball wide right from 12 yards.
87 min...TFC Hamilton 18 yard shot from right is blocked by Sun Giaccherini and another player rescues ball so there's no cornerkick.
88 min...Sun Defoe is called offside at 15 yards when fed pass upfield from 30 yards.
92 min...TFC Aparicio cuts to middle along 30 yard line and chips ball forward to TFC Hamilton on edge of box but two defenders make sure he doesn't get shot.
92 min...game ends 8:58pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC............1.........Sunderland AFC......2.......

There were two player awards announced after the game. Man of the match for Toronto was Jonathan Osorio. Man of the match for Jermain Defoe.

Attendance was not announced but I noticed no one was seated on the west side 200 level and I expect no one in the new east side addition at the 200 level. The south side where TFC supporters cheer was less than half full (whoever was there tonight did not break into the 23rd minute 'Danny Dichio' song). The more expensive seats were not filled much better. The north side endzone seats were occupied by the rowdier Sunderland fans but in my midfield section there was about 60-40 Sunderand support. Attendance may have been only 10000 to 12000. I'd heard this was part of the Jermain Defoe for Jozy Altidore trade between the two teams back in January.

Well who won in this trade for just tonight? Defoe scored twice for Sunderland while Altidore did not play nor was he among the thirteen TFC subs warming up. The tease ads had Altidore in the starting lineup and Sebastian Giovinco not in them. He had been treated on the sideline in TFC's Saturday game against Philadelphia while play carried on but eventually returned to the game.

Most people would think the most direct comparison with Defoe on TFC was their signing of Sebastian Giovinco. They are both forwards and quick, small sized guys who play even with the last defender. Giovinco played the first 31 minutes and I feel a better fit for TFC as he's younger and does pass to set up others to score. He's set a team record for assists and we're only halfway through the season. He had some good cornerkicks in his short time tonight. He had a shot just over the bar at 25 yards and at 29 minutes made a perfect pass off TFC Marky Delgado which saw the ball deflect out when Delgado crashed into the end boards.

Defoe had the biggest reaction of cheers and boos throughout the game for good and bad plays whether the goals, flubs, offsides, or shots off target. Jack Rodwell had some good crosses into the box for Sunderland.

Referee Sylviu Petrescu gave out only three Yellow cards that I counted—two to Sunderland. Two came together at 26 minutes when Sun Sebastian Larsson and TFC Daniel Lovitz got into a wrestling match as the ball rolled to the sideline in the only moment of the game that could be considered rough.

TFC started the game with an acceptable MLS game lineup but at 31 minutes made eight substitutions! I wonder if this is part of the MLS player's agreement for friendlies? It was a bit different a few years ago when TFC played Liverpool and the subs were directly from the TFC Academy but there was no TFC II (USL Pro) team back then. Some of the TFC II players had just returned from the PanAm games after playing for Canada. (Chris Mannella and Molham Babouli). Some of the subs had played in last night's TFC II game vs FC Montreal. (Jordan Hamilton and Luca Uccello). Forward Bright Dike was back in the TFC bench.

TFC gave four guys a chance to be captain tonight. Benoit Cheyrou (who has become captain when Michael Bradley is away playing for the US national team—still in the Gold Cup) started until he was one of the guys who left at 31 minutes. Jonathan Osorio took over when he came in during that big switch. When Osorio left at 65 minutes Ashtone Morgan took over and when he came out at 74 minutes, Chris Mannella who is the captain of TFC II wore it.

Sunderland who wear a red & white striped shirt with black shorts (judging by the replica kits worn by their supporters) wore a green and dark green combo tonight.

Thankfully there was a highlite package online where I got home because Defoe's goal at 64 minute had the row in front of me standing to let someone bringing beer and food get by and I only saw the last second of the ball going in. I couldn't see the replay on the scoreboard looking into the blinding setting sun. Also Sunderland didn't have numbers listed in the program or online for some of their non-starters. Ahh friendlies!

My ticket was cheaper with the early bird price than my regular season tickets although I think there was deep discounting because I read a tweet of an ad where a pair of tickets were being given away for the purchase of an extra large pizza.

Now these TFC II guys better get ready for their Friday game against Charleston Battery while the TFC guys are on the road in Columbus on Saturday after most of them put in at most 30 minutes work.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Toronto FC starters