September 19, 2015 MLS--Toronto FC vs Colorado Rapids (by Rocket Robin)

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Result of the Saturday September 19, 2015 MLS game between Toronto FC and Colorado Rapids played at BMO Field in Toronto at 2:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

.........................1 Chris Konopka
18 Marky Delgado...23 Josh Williams...24 Damien Perquis...2 Justin Morrow
55 Robbie Findley...4 Michael Bradley (cpt)...8 Benoit Chreyrou...21 Jonathan Osorio
...............17 Jozy Altidore...10 Sebastian Giovinco

Subs:...12 Joseph Bendik (gk)...6 Nick Hagglund (def)...14 Jay Chapman (mid)...15 Eriq Zavaleta (def)...16 Hercules Gomez (fwd)
...26 Collen Warner (mid)...27 Luke Moore (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

Colorado Rapids (blue socks, shorts, names and numbers, yellow shirts)

..........................1 Clint Irwin
3 Drew Moor...23 Bobby Burling...6 Sam Cronin (cpt)...24 SeanSt Ledger...31 Maynor Figueroa
...........8 Dillon Powers...22 Lucas Pittinari...17 Dillon Serna
.................7 Vincente Sanchez...21 Luis Solignac

Subs:...18 Zac MacMath (gk)...2 Nick LaBorcca (mid)...10 Gabriel Torres (mid)...11 Marcelo Sarvas (mid)...15 Juan Ramirez (mid)
...33 Jared Watts (def)...94 Marlon Hairston (mid)
team officials:...head coach Pablo Mastroeni

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

1st Half:...game starts 2:08pm...TFC defend south end on this mild, overcast, and windy night.
it suddenly gets sunny at the 1 minute mark.
2 min...CR Figueroa three shots from left one outside and two rebounds inside box are blocked by defenders.
4 min...TFC Morrow rush on left and cross near end line from 10 yards is headed away by defender at 6 yards.
5 min...CR Serna cross from left end line is through box unplayed.
6 min...TFC Giovinco dribble down middle and low 20 yard shot is wide left of post.
6 min...TFC Bradley chip forward down middle 35 yards is a step ahead of TFC Altidore and goalie catches on bounce.
6 min...TFC Cheyrou shoots high and wide left from 25 yards down middle.
10 min...TFC Giovinco 35 yard freekick down middle has goalie bat away in center of goal and CR Moor at 10 yards on left clears with header. TFC Bradley given pass in middle from left and blasts 35 yarder down middle high and wide right.
13 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...TFC Robbie Findley gives short pass to Giovinco whose rush from center line cutting forward from right to middle and 22 yard shot is under sliding CR Bobby Burling at 15 yards and deflects to diving goalie Clint Irwin who gets a hand to but pushes it into left corner of net.
15 min...TFC Delgado rolls cross from 22 yards on right along edge of box but TFC Giovinco is checked off ball at 18 yards in middle.
17 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...TFC Michael Bradley rolls cross along 50 yard line from right over to TFC Benoit Cheyrou who sends roller forward down middle and TFC Jonathan Osorio steps in front of defender at 28 yards to backheel pass to charging Giovinco who continues forward and shoots 20 yarder down middle on bounce into right side of goal beyond flying goalie.
18 min...CR Pittinari 30 yard blast down middle drifts high and wide right of net.
19 min...CR Figueroa chips 45 yarder from left that finds CR Sanchez on right side of box at 8 yards who chests ball down but slips before getting control and TFC Morrow clears away.
22 min...TFC Osorio from center line rush down left after cross field pass by TFC Giovinco has his 25 yard shot caught by goalie on bounce at 6 yards before TFC Giovinco can get to it.
23 min...CR YELLOW card...Figueroa earns it on sliding trip of TFC Findley in collision at CR 50 yard line.
24 min...CR Figueroa 40 yard cross from left has goalie drift forward and wide right of box to make catch at 7 yards.
26 min...CR Cronin 45 yard freekick from right bounces wide left on edge of box and ball is cleared on a few TFC headers.
28 min...TFC Cheyrou 40 yard freekick from left is chipped to TFC Altidore just inside left side of box who taps pass over to TFC Morrow on left who crosses from 25 yards on left and ball falls in middle of box for defenders to clear. TFC Giovinco gets passed ball back after partial clearance at 25 yards up middle and his short pass has defenders clear.
30 min...TFC Altidore taps over ball from 15 yards over to charging TFC Findley at 8 yards on left but defender intercepts and clears.
30 min...TFC Williams makes key check on left edge of box to break up CR pass attempt after long run down left.
32 min...CR Solignac cross from 28 yards on left is cleared by header by TFC Perquis at 10 yards in middle of box. CR player's cross from 30 yards on left has goalie punch ball away at 8 yards with TFC Perquis shadowing CR player barrowing into him.
34 min...CR Burling 60 yard cross from right has goalie step to near edge of box to catch.
35 min...TFC Giovinco chips pass from 25 yards on left for TFC Altidore who heads ball wide right from 7 yards while even with right post.
36 min...TFC Giovinco rush on left and shot has CR St Ledger block at 12 yards conceding cornerkick.
37 min...TFC Damien Perquis GOAL...TFC Sebastian Giovinco cornerkick from left has Perquis charge towards him between defenders and head 6 yarder from even with left post to right side of net.
39 min...CR Figueroa rolls pass to CR Cronin on edge of box pass to to CR Serna whose 12 yard low shot is saved by sliding goalie and TFC Morrow concedes cornerkick.
39 min...CR Dillon Powers GOAL...CR Vincente Sanchez cornerkick from right has leaping Powers head 8 yarder into net as goalie Chris Konopka charged forward in crowd of players to try to punch ball away.
41 min...TFC Morrow rush on left and rolls cross from 25 yards that sliding defender stops at 6 yards in center of box.
42 min...CR Sanchez low cross from 25 yards on right near end line wins cornerkick on clearance by TFC Perquis.
42 min...CR Sanchez cornerkick from right is headed through box by leaping TFC Perquis over to CR Figueroa and his cross from 28 yards on left is bounced past goalie in 6 yard box and TFC past goalie and TFC Morrow boots behind net from 3 yards conceding cornerkick on right.
43 min...CR Sanchez cornerkick from right is over players in box and CR Figueroa on left cross from 15 yards on end line has CR Moor at 6 yards in middle leap and head ball over net.
44 min...TFC YELLOW card...Morrow earns it for tripping CR Sanchez at CR 50 yard line.
45 min...CR Sanchez chips ball from 45 yards downfield and TFC Perquis pops up header at 20 yards and CR Serna behind him heads 12 yarder wide right of net but offside flag was up.
46 min...half ends 2:54pm.

It starts to rain during halftime.

Halftime Entertainment: There's another Pizza Pizza giveaway, invitations to Autograph Alley (it's always to fans in the front row of Sections of 126 and 127), Drumsticks ice cream giveaway. Today there's also a 3 on 3 game of bubble soccer between members of the Canadian Armed Forces but it was still only a three minute game that ended in a 1-1 tie.

2nd Half:...starts 3:09pm...there's now a spitting, driving rain. The lights are needed as it's so gray.
halftime sub:...CR Torres replaces Serna.
45 min...TFC Giovinco and Altidore pass play in CR box. TFC Giovinco midair shot from 20 yards on left is well wide right and out of box.
46 min...CR Moor cross shot from 25 yards on right has TFC Williams make clearance in center of box at 6 yards.
48 min...TFC Findley 20 yard shot down middle after short pass from TFC Giovinco is tipped wide right off defender at 15 yards for cornerkick.
49 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from right has CR Burling at 6 yards head ball out of box.
49 min...TFC Cheyrou cross from 30 yards on left bounces over to TFC Findley and his 18 yard shot up middle hits outside of right post.
54 min...CR Sanchez skips 30 shot up middle that bounces wide right of net.
54 min...TFC sub...Warner replaces Findley.
It starts to rain too hard to make notes from 55 to 85 minutes reminding me of the DC United game earlier in the season but not as cold. There are huge sheets of rain driven by the wind. The rain had been predicted for days but not especially at game time.
The rest of the game description was filled in by me replaying the television broadcast from home.
55 min...CR Sanchez 40 yard freekick from right sideline has CR Moor flick header from 8 yards down middle just over bar.
56 min...TFC YELLOW card...Altidore earns it for pulling down CR Burling at center line.
57 min...CR Cronin 55 yard freekick from right is over players and bounces wide left for goalkick.
59 min...CR player's 50 yard cross from right has TFC Williams leap at 8 yards and head wide left to prevent CR Solignac behind him from getting to ball.
59 min...CR Sanchez cornerkick from left ball cleared from box.
60 min...CR YELLOW card...Pittinari earns it for sliding tackle on charging TFC Giovinco at 30 yards on left.
61 min...TFC Giovinco 30 yard freekick from left is just over the bar on left side of net.
61 min...CR Figueroa blasts 30 yarder from left that's high and wide left of net.
63 min...TFC Osorio taps short pass from 30 yards on far left to TFC Giovinco who shoots 25 yard bouncer well wide right of net.
65 min...CR Figueroa bends 35 yard cross from left that TFC Morrow at 15 yards on right heads away preventing CR forward from getting to ball behind him. TFC Delgado at 15 yards in center of box leaps to head away chipped ball sent in from 30 yards on right. CR Figueroa blasts low 28 yarder down middle wide left of net when he received CR Sanchez bicycle kick pass from 12 yards back out from inside box.
66 min...CR Torres dribbles between defenders cutting into box from left and retreating TFC Bradley boots ball behind goal at 8 yards conceding cornerkick.
67 min...CR Sanchez low cornerkick from left has TFC Bradley kick ball behind line for another cornerkick.
67 min...CR Sanchez cornerkick from left is high and to right side of box where CR St Ledger leap on TFC Cheyrou's back and heads wide left from 6 yards.
68 min...CR Ramirez replaces Sanchez.
.........TFC Moore replaces Altidore.
69 min...CR Cronin cross from 20 yards on right has CR Solignac duck and flick header from 12 yards over bar.
71 min...CR Moor cross from 25 yards on right has TFC Williams duck and head ball away at 8 yards and win freekick when he's pulled down by CR Solignac.
72 min...TFC YELLOW card...Moore earns it for kicking at head of CR St Ledger who'd ducked to head ball at CR 40 yard line.
75 min...CR Figueroa cross from 45 yards on left sideline has charging CR Powers at 22 yards on left flick header forward and to center for CR Solignac at 10 yards but sliding TFC Morrow pokes ball away before he could get away shot and concedes cornerkick.
75 min...CR player's cornerkick from left has goalie reach at left post and punch ball forward between crowd of players.
75 min...CR YELLOW card...Cronin earns it for grabbing TFC Giovinco breaking out at TFC 35 yard line.
76 min...TFC Morrow slides to poke ball away from charging CR Solignac on edge of box on right and roll it back for TFC goalie to clear.
78 min...CR Torres cross from 25 yards on left has TFC Perquis clear at 12 yards in center of box. CR Figueroa later crosses from 28 yards on left and TFC Perquis heads ball forward and out of box from 10 yards.
79 min...TFC Williams leaps to head away long cross from right at 10 yards on left of box but ball bounces for CR Figueroa to blast 25 yard shot from left that goalie dives right to save at 4 yards then reaches out for rebound before CR forward can get to it.
80 min...CR Powers cross from 25 yards on far left has TFC Williams head away from 10 yards on left.
81 min...TFC Giovinco dribbles up left wing and cross from 15 yards tangles in his feet and rolls over end line for goalkick.
84 min...TFC sub...Zavaleta replaces Giovinco.
85 min...CR Figueroa high cross from 30 yards on left bounces out right side of box unplayed.
85 min...CR Moor cross from 30 yards on right has TFC Perquis fly over to head ball from 10 yards on left over end line for cornerkick.
86 min...CR sub...Sarvas replaces Cronin.
86 min...CR Powers cornerkick from right has him slip as he gets cross in and goalie leaps to catch ball unchallenged.
87 min...TFC YELLOW card...Delgado earns it for time wasting taking throw-in from CR 40 yard line.
88 min...CR Figueroa cross from 30 yards on left bounces into box and TFC Williams clears at 10 yards in middle of box.
89 min...CR Figueroa long throw-in from 22 yard line on left has ball bounces at 8 yards on left and TFC Perquis heads ball behind end line from 6 yards while even with left post.
89 min...CR player's cornerkick from left has defender head ball away from inside 6 yard box.
89 min...CR player chips cross from 40 yards on right into box and ball falls in between crowd of players and CR Solignac pops up kick from 8 yards on left over players in box and out right side of box.
91 min...CR Ramirez at 40 yards rolls ball forward up middle between defenders and CR Solignac rushes to get to it at 22 yards and rolls 15 yard shot deflecting off sliding goalie at 12 yards and into net but is called offside.
92 min...CR player's cross from 30 yards on right sideline is into box between leaping CR players at 6 yards and ball cleared from left.
93 min...CR Torres cross from 25 yards on left is wide left of net.
94 min...TFC goalie at 8 yards catches long chip from 45 yards from right behind players in box.
94 min...game ends 3:58pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC.......3..........Colorado Rapids...........1........

Attendance was not announced (but league reports say 19692) but it looked lighter than usual. It was announced at the game that there were somehing like 400 members of armed forces in attendance. Were they really donated tickets? I'm sure owners MLSE could have donated their unsold seats instead of guilt-tripping their Season Seat Holders to give up their own tickets.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as Sebastian Giovinco who with two goals was the obvious choice. He also got Rapids defenders to haul him down to prevent counterattack runs causing them two of their Yellow cards.

It was announced before the game that TFC had a record of 8-0-0 when they scored the first goal so a win looked probable early especially taking a 2-0 lead before 20 minutes.

The Rapids scoring so soon after the third TFC goal showed they were still in it. The wind blowing from the south helped the Rapids in the second half making TFC high clearance more difficult on blow back. The rain could have been the great equalizer but Colorado couldn't float enough ball into the box.

The Damien Perquis goal for TFC helped make up for his own goal last Sunday against New England. During the last week it was made worse by showing his own goal on Wednesday's away game from earlier in the season against New York FC the last time the team was there.

TFC subbed out Robbie Findley for Collen Warner who is more a defensive midfielder at 55 minutes. Luke Moore replaced Jozy Altidore at 69 minutes but Altidore had already stopped running. Finally Giovinco was subbed out late and he was angry or at least appeared it. He got to take a bow and not risk injury.

Chris Konopka made two really important saves to protect the lead.

Today's game day ticket had defender Nick Hagglund on it--at least today he made the subs bench as he has not seen much action this season. Michael Bradley was on the game day program again.

TFC's record was 11-13-4 before today's game. They are a solid fifth place even after a three game losing streak but today started a five game home stand against mostly teams lower than them in the standings. Rapids were last in the Western Conference (tenth) but would be sixth in the weak East. TFC still had a 98% chance of making the playotts but the only way they could guarantee a home date is to pull up to fourth which became more difficult when fourth place New England beat them last Sunday.

Rapids have a problem scoring although are good defensively (until today). They had a low percentage chance of making the playoffs but they've tied too many games. It's ten ties, the most in the entire league by two. They already are seven points out of the last playoff spot without games in hand on that team.

TFC players wore 'salute to Armed Forces' t-shirts over their uniforms for the national anthems. Rapids players wore something about conquering childhood cancers.

On the way out were given a "Support our Troops" large fridge magnet and an elastic wrist band with the message in English and French. The national anthems were sung by a soldier in a kilt--he sang O Canada in English and French.

Former TFC players playing for Rapids were midfielders Nick LeBrocca and Sam Cronin.

I had trouble getting here and going home. There was no subway service between Lawrence and Bloor stations on the Yonge St line took me by surprize but I took a bus across to the University line instead of a shuttle bus. At least there were no baseball fans today. Coming home to get moving I got a Bathurst streetcar which after we were moving the driver announced it would short turn at Queen rather than the subway. I didn't take a chance of why Queen so got off ealy at King St for another streetcar. Was there a marathon or a film fesival? The Sunnybrook bus pulled into the Lawrence station and just idled as there was no driver to drive it so we just sat in it.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
14'   Sebastian Giovinco          Assisted By: Robbie Findley 
18'   Sebastian Giovinco          Assisted By: Jonathan Osorio, Benoit Cheyrou 
38'   Damien Perquis              Assisted By: Sebastian Giovinco 
40'   Dillon Powers               Assisted By: Vicente Sánchez 

Disciplinary
24'   Maynor Figueroa             Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
45'   Justin Morrow               Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
57'   Jozy Altidore               Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
61'   Lucas Pittinari             Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
73'   Luke Moore                  Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
76'   Sam Cronin                  Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
88'   Marco Delgado               Reason: Time wasting 

Lineup

Toronto FC
 1 GK Chris Konopka 
 2 DF Justin Morrow 
18 DF Marco Delgado 
23 DF Josh Williams 
24 DF Damien Perquis 
 4 MF Michael Bradley 
 8 MF Benoit Cheyrou 
21 MF Jonathan Osorio 
55 MF Robbie Findley      (55')
10 FW Sebastian Giovinco  (85')
17 FW Jozy Altidore       (69')

Bench
12  G Joe Bendik 
 6  D Nick Hagglund 
26  M Collen Warner       (55')
14  M Jay Chapman 
27  F Luke Moore          (69') 
16  F Hérculez Gómez 
15  F Eriq Zavaleta       (85')

Manager Greg Vanney  

Colorado Rapids

 1 GK Clint Irwin 
 3 DF Drew Moor 
23 DF Bobby Burling 
24 DF Sean St Ledger 
31 DF Maynor Figueroa 
 6 MF Sam Cronin          (87')
 7 MF Vicente Sánchez     (69')
 8 MF Dillon Powers 
17 MF Dillon Serna        (HT')
22 MF Lucas Pittinari 
21 FW Luis Solignac

Bench
18  G Zac MacMath 
33  D Jared Watts 
10  M Gabriel Torres      (HT')
 2  M Nick LaBrocca 
11  M Marcelo Sarvas      (87') 
15  M Juan Ramírez        (69') 
94  M Marlon Hairston 

Manager Pablo Mastroeni 

Officials
Referee  Mathieu Bourdeau 
Assistant Referee  Daniel Belleau 
Assistant Referee  Gianni Facchini 
Fourth Official  Silviu Petrescu 

Match Information
MLS at BMO Field
Attendance 19692
Weather Cloudy

Stats:
TOR                          COL
 12     Shots                 14 
  4     Shots on Target        3 
  6     Shots off Target       8 
  2     Blocked Shots          3 
  2     Corners                9 
  9     Crosses               41 
  2     Offsides               5 
 18     Fouls                 18 
  4     Yellow Cards           3 
  0     Red Cards              0 
388     Total Passes         420 
 77 %   Passing Accuracy      76 % 
 46.1 % Possession            53.9 % 
 53     Duels Won             59 
 15     Tackles Won           18 
  2     Saves                  1 
 25     Clearances             8

Toronto FC starters