October 3,2015 MLS--Toronto FC vs Philadelphia Union (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result of the Saturday October 3, 2015 MLS game between Toronto FC and Philadelphia Union played at BMO Field in Toronto at 5:00pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

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

Subs:...12 Joseph Bendik (gk)...5 Ashtone Morgan (def)...16 Hercules Gomez (fwd)...18 Marky Delgado (mid)...26 Collen Warner (mid)
27 Luke Moore (fwd)...41 Ahmed Kantari (def)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

Philadelphia Union (navy socks, shorts, and shirts, gold striped on chest, white names and numbers)

..........................1 Andre Blake
28 Raymon Gaddis...23 Steven Vitoria...16 Richard Marquez...13 Michael Lahoud
14 Eric Ayunk Mbu...18 Fernando Aristeguieta...7 Brian Carroll (cpt)...11 Andrew Wenger...17 C.J. Sapong
........................10 Cristian Maidana

Subs:...55 Johns McCarthy (gk)...2 Warren Creavalle (def)...5 Vincent Nogueira (mid)...9 Sebastien Le Toux (mid)...15 Ethan White (def)
...33 Fabinho (def)...85 Tranquillo Barnetta (mid)
team officials:...head coach Jim Curtin

Game officials:...referee Ricardo Salazar...referee's assistants Peter Manikowski and Mike Kampmeinert...fourth official Jorge Gonzalez
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

Before the game a video replay of Giovinco's 20 goals and 15 assists were shown on the scoreboard.

1st Half:...game starts 5:10pm...TFC defend north end with rain falling on this cool and overcast afternoon with a gusty wind.
2 min...TFC Jackson rush down right wing and sends low cross from 25 yards on right into 6 yard box and defender clears. TFC Bradley blasts partial clearance on midair kick from 25 yards down middle well over net.
4 min...PU Maidana 40 yard freekick from left is bent wide right of net.
5 min...TFC Findley cross from 20 yards on right is blocked and tips for cornerkick.
5 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right is headed away in box.
10 min...TFC Giovinco freekick from 25 yards on right is headed away. TFC Osorio taps pass to TFC Cheyrou who blasts 28 yarder well high and wide left of net.
13 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from right has PU Marquez head ball away. TFC Giovinco is checked off ball when he runs in from left.
17 min...TFC Altidore flicks kick forward up middle from 22 yards and goalie dives on ball at 8 yards.
19 min...TFC Altidore taps pass right and TFC Findley cross from 20 yards on right has defender pop up header at 12 yards high and over to left side of box where another defender heads it away for throw-in.
20 min...TFC Osorio low 15 yard shot from left is just wide left.
21 min...TFC Giovinco 25 yard freekick from left is low and into player wall.
22 min...TFC Osorio is checked off ball but TFC Jackson recovers and blasts 30 yarder from right well wide and right of top corner of net.
23 min...PU Aristeguieta rush out of room on run to right end line on header play for goalkick.
24 min...PU YELLOW card...Vitoria earns it for sliding tackle on TFC Giovinco.
25 min...TFC Giovinco 28 yard freekick from left is blocked in player wall. His low rebound is deflected wide left of net.
26 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has defender pop up header on left edge of box over to right side of box and TFC Altidore is tripped up just outside box by PU Sapong.
26 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...Giovinco 22 yard freekick from right hits PU Raymon Gaddis in three man wall in back has he was turning at 12 yards and drops into low left side of net on bounce with goalie Andre Blake stuck on right post.
27 min...TFC Altidore on run down middle has retreating defender poke ball away from him at 15 yards for cornerkick.
28 min...TFC Bradley low cornerkick from right has PU Aristeguieta clear on right edge of 6 yard box.
31 min...TFC Osorio taps pass to TFC Giovinco who chips 20 yarder just wide right and sliding TFC Findley misses at 2 yards on post.
34 min...TFC Giovinco cross from right to TFC Altidore but defender heads away at 5 yards before Altidore can get to it.
37 min...PU Maidana 50 yard freekick from left has TFC Perquis in crowd of players at 10 yards head away.
39 min...TFC Jackson rolls ball into PU box from right but TFC Altidore doesn't run for it so goalie picks up.
40 min...TFC defenders just inside right edge of box clear PU Gaddis's rolled cross from 20 yards on right near endline.
41 min...TFC Giovinco 25 yard freekick down middle has goalie fly to top left corner of net to tip ball wide left for cornerkick.
42 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is caught by goalie in center of 6 yard box.
43 min...TFC Findley rolls centering pass from 28 yards on right and TFC Cheyrou blasts low 25 yarder up middle wide right of net as he almost runs into TFC Bradley.
45 min...half ends 5:55pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There's another Pizza Pizza giveaway, invitations to Autograph Alley, and Drumsticks ice cream giveaway. There's 100 TFC jerseys thrown to the crowd (they're also heavily discounted at the souvenir stands). There's also a 'General Bradley' video shown on the scoreboard.

2nd Half:...starts 6:11pm.
halftime sub:...TFC Delgado replaces Findley.
46 min...TFC Giovinco 25 yard shot up middle is just wide left of net.
48 min...TFC Jackson on right end line rolls ball into box but defender clears at 10 yards on right.
48 min...TFC Giovinco taps ball forward and TFC Altidore low 18 yard shot is pushed wide right by diving goalie.
48 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from right has TFC Cheyrou chest down at 12 yards on left for TFC Perquis to tap ball back for TFC Delgado to blast 18 yard down middle well over net.
51 min...PU Maidana 40 yard freekick down middle is caught by goalie on left post. Union's first shot on net!
52 min...TFC Jackson on rush takes 30 yard cross from right that's caught by leaping goalie.
52 min...TFC Bradley and TFC Giovinco have give and go play on right messed up with Bradley passing over endline.
56 min...PU sub...Nogueira replaces Lahoud.
57 min...TFC Delgado low cross from 22 yards on right has sliding PU Marquez stop ball at 6 yards on right and clear. Delgado repeats play a few seconds later and Marquez stands up to block and clear from 6 yards.
59 min...TFC Bradley 28 yard freekick from right hits head in wall and deflects out of box.
59 min...TFC Delgado cuts shot from 15 yards on right and his shot is deflected off defender at 12 yards wide left for cornerkick.
60 min...PU sub...Barnetta replaces Sapong.
60 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from left has leaping goalie in crowd of players at 2 yards tip ball wide right of post.
61 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has PU Vitoria head ball away from 5 yards. TFC Morrow 40 yard shot down middle is well over net.
62 min...TFC Jozy Altidore GOAL...TFC Marky Delgado cross from 30 yards on right has PU Raymon Gaddis step forward and miss clearing ball at 7 yards in middle of box and Altidore behind him stops ball and turns and roll 7 yarder from center into right corner of net past diving goalie.
64 min...PU sub...Le Toux replaces Ayuk Mbu.
65 min...PU Steven Vitoria GOAL...PU Cristian Maidana 40 yard freekick from middle has leapng Vitoria in crowd of players even with left post and facing away from goal head 8 yarder past goalie Chris Konopka guarding left side of net and under bar into right corner of net.
67 min...PU Barnetta rush down middle from 40 yards has him burst between defenders but TFC Perquis turns and kicks ball at 20 yards just wide left of post for cornerkick.
67 min...PU Barnetta cornerkick from left has charging PU Nogueira flick 15 yard header from left wide left of net.
68 min...TFC Giovinco rush down right wing and cross from 25 yards finds TFC Osorio at 20 yards on left and curls shot wide right of net.
70 min...PU Barnetta 28 yard freekick from far left has TFC Morrow head ball away forward from 5 yards in crowd in box. PU Gaddis is checked off ball on edge of box down middle before getting away shot.
70 min...TFC Giovinco run on right and cross from 20 yards on right has defender block and ball pops up and another defender clears on right endline.
71 min...TFC Osorio pulls away PU defender on left sideline who was shielding ball to roll out for throw-in at 15 yard line and cuts towards box and rolls pass from 12 yards along left endline that TFC Giovinco misses at 8 yards on left and TFC Bradley flubs 12 yard shot up middle forward and to right and TFC TFC Altidore doesn't step forward to kick set up ball and another TFC player falls backwards at 6 yards and defender clears.
72 min...PU Aristeguieta low 28 yard shot up middle one-bounces and is stopped by goalie near left post.
73 min...TFC Jackson low cross from 15 yards near right endline has PU Vitoria at 6 yards on right stick out foot and concede cornerkick.
74 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has charging TFC Williams at 8 yards on left head ball into ground and ball knocked around and TFC Bradley shoots low wide right of post from 18 yards but play had been whistled down.
75 min...TFC Giovinco low cross from 22 yards on right has defender stop in front of TFC Osorio and clear at 8 yards.
75 min...TFC Giovinco taps ball back to TFC Bradley who shoots 20 yard roller up middle wide left of net.
77 min...PU Nogueira intercepts pass off TFC Cheyrou on left and runs towards center and shoot 28 yarder down middle high and wide right.
78 min...TFC Morrow low 20 yard roller from far left is picked up by goalie.
79 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right is cleared by PU Bernetta at 8 yards on right for another cornerkick.
80 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has defender head ball away at 6 yards in middle of box.
81 min...TFC sub...Warner replaces Altidore.
82 min...TFC players play keep-away for next 2 minutes.
84 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has defender head away. TFC Cheyrou low mid air shot down middle from 25 yards deflects off defender and over to Giovinco who blasts 15 yarder across face of 6 yard box one step ahead of TFC Williams getting head to it and well wide left of net.
85 min...PU Maidana cross from 30 yards on right has TFC Delgado pop up header at 15 yards and TFC Perquis heads away down middle on edge of TFC box.
87 min...TFC Bradley rolls ball from middle to right and TFC Delgado rolls 22 yarder that has goalie dive forward to smother.
88 min...TFC Giovinco short 30 yard freekick from left sideline wins throw-in on deflection.
89 min...TFC Osorio freekick from near left cornerflag has TFC Bradley on left edge of box runs away with it.
90 min...TFC (PU own goal Richie Marquez) GOAL...TFC Michael Bradley in middle at 25 yards rolls ball forward and to left to charging TFC Jonathan Osorio who rolls cross from 8 yards along edge of 6 yard box and retreating PU Marquez knocks ball into own net from 4 yards under diving goalie.
91 min...TFC sub...Moore replaces Giovinco.
92 min...game ends 6:58pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC.......3..........Philadelphia Union...........1........

Attendance was announced as 18332. The rain and threat of rain probably killed a lot of the walk up crowd. Attendance was poor but forgivable on this cold and rainy day. Actually the rain only effected my note taking for the first ten minutes of the game and pregame. I'll still count it as one of those rainy day games (is that five or six this season?) that make me glad that by next season they'll be a roof on this stadium. I wonder though if I'll be covered by drifting rain in the seventh row.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as forward Jozy Altidore. He scored what turned out to be the game winning goal but had a few chances that he missed and twice didn't even make the effort to run for a pass. Very appropriate time to have a good game as it was one of the rare occurances when (the same player) he was on both the game day program and my cardboard ticket. I guess it wouldn't be so good if Giovinco won every week. He was given a nice video tribute at halftime showing every goal and assist this year (20 goals, 15 assists).

I was impressed by how TFC were able to kill the time to end the game. There was a two minute patch between 82 and 84 minutes where TFC passed the ball up and down the field and back again while retainig possession. They had enough men back and could look for dangerous counterattacks when the Union committed. They also made an important sub at 81 minutes bringing in defensive midfielder Collen Warner for forward Jozy Altidore and he paid off in his first minute by breaking up a Union play. A time wasting sub of Luke Moore for Giovinco at 90 minutes didn't lead to a Giovinco hissy fit this game.

The Union had ex-TFC players defender Warren Creavalle and forward Conor Casey on their roster but neither got into the game.

Philadelphia played last weekend then played Wednesday night in the US Open Cup final but lost after 120 minutes plus Penalty kicks so could be excused for being tired.

The Union goal was scored by defender Steven Vitoria who is from Toronto but played from his teenage years in Portugal. He never elected to play for Canada internationally.

The final TFC goal was an own goal knocked in from 4 yards by Richie Marquez which might just sum up the Union season as they stay in ninth in the table.

TFC outshot Union 21-5 although shorts on target were only 4-3. TFC were 12-1 in cornerkicks and almost 2 to 1 in possession showing their dominance even when they had the lead. Philadelphia had no shots in the first half!

TFC can clinch a playoff spot if Montreal takes points off Orlando later tonight. New York City FC can't catch TFC after losing to DC United. The slumping DCU who hadn't won in six games until today slingshot from fourth to a tie for first at least until tonight's games. The DCU win makes it harder for TFC to host a playoff gameas for the the first round they have to finish third or fourth.

TFC couldn't officially celebrate at the end of the game as the Orlando vs Montreal game wouldn't start until tonight but the PA announcer fell justshort of saying cheer for the Impact.

Many in the crowd had already fled so they didn't see the TFC players salute the fans in the south end. The crowd who left early commandeered all the streetcars so I made better progress walking to the subway station than waiting.

TFC wins all three of their games against Philadelphia this year (good for 9 points) to along with their three game sweep of Orlando City.

TFC for two weeks in a row knocks out two of their division opponents. Both Chicago and Philadelphia were down to less than .1% chance of qualifying but TFC eliminated even that small chance.

TFC's five game home stand has started with wins over last place (in the West) Colorado Rapids, last place (in the East) Chicago Fire, and now second last place team Philadelphia. Their last two home games are against top four teams New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew then they finish their regular season with an away game against Montreal Impact.

The first 10,000 fans were given "General Bradley" t-shirts. My gate only gave out mediums but I took mine to the south west gate and traded it for an x-large but I wonder how many people would do that. Each gate should have had a few boxes of each. It's a nice gray colour which makes a good variety from my Giovinco 'Atomic Ant' red, and TFC II white given away earlier this season.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
28'    Sebastian Giovinco 
63'    Jozy Altidore             Assisted By: Marco Delgado 
66'    Steven Vitória            Assisted By: Cristián Maidana 
90'+1' Richie Marquez (OG) 

Disciplinary
25'    Steven Vitória            Reason: Unsporting Behavior 

Lineup

Toronto FC
 1 GK Chris Konopka 
 2 DF Justin Morrow 
11 DF Jackson 
23 DF Josh Williams 
24 DF Damien Perquis 
 4 MF Michael Bradley 
 8 MF Benoit Cheyrou 
21 MF Jonathan Osorio 
55 MF Robbie Findley 
10 FW Sebastian Giovinco 
17 FW Jozy Altidore

Bench
12  G Joe Bendik 
41  D Ahmed Kantari 
 5  D Ashtone Morgan 
18  M Marco Delgado 
27  F Luke Moore 
16  F Hérculez Gómez 
26  F Collen Warner 

Manager Greg Vanney 

Philadelphia Union
 1 GK Andre Blake 
11 DF Andrew Wenger 
16 DF Richie Marquez 
23 DF Steven Vitória 
28 DF Raymon Gaddis 
 7 MF Brian Carroll 
10 MF Cristián Maidana 
13 MF Michael Lahoud 
14 MF Eric Ayuk Mbu 
17 MF C.J. Sapong 
18 FW Fernando Aristeguieta

Bench

Toronto FC Philadelphia Union 
55  G John McCarthy 
15  D Ethan White 
 2  D Warren Creavalle 
33  D Fabinho 
85  M Tranquillo Barnetta 
 9  M Sebastien Le Toux 
 5  M Vincent Nogueira 

Manager Jim Curtin 

Officials
Referee  Ricardo Salazar 
Assistant Referee  Peter Manikowski 
Assistant Referee  Mike Kampmeinert 
Fourth Official  Jorge Gonzalez 

Match Information
MLS at BMO Field
Toronto, ON
Attendance 18332
Weather Rain

Stats:

Team Statistics

TOR                           PHI
 21     Shots                   5 
  4     Shots on Target         3 
 10     Shots off Target        2 
  7     Blocked Shots           0 
 12     Corners                 1 
 38     Crosses                 5 
  2     Offsides                3 
  9     Fouls                  11 
  0     Yellow Cards            1 
  0     Red Cards               0 
477     Total Passes          298 
 86 %   Passing Accuracy       72 % 
 62.7 % Possession             37.3 % 
 38     Duels Won              43 
 16     Tackles Won            17 
  2     Saves                   2 
 13     Clearances             18

Toronto FC starters