Saturday May 13, 2017--Toronto FC vs Minnesota United FC (by Rocket Robin)

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I've found that I don't have the time to do a game play by play with all the writeups I'm doing
covering other leagues. I will skip the details and maybe do that after the season is over.

18 min...TFC Raheem Edwards wins Penalty kick when tripped on left inside box.

19 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...Giovinco sends his Penalty kick low to left side of net
beyond diving goalie Bobby Shuttleworth.

51 min...Minn Kevin Molino GOAL...Minn Abu Danladi rolls pass forward that streaking Molino shoots 15 yarder down middle just under bar.

53 min...TFC (Christian Ramirez own goal) GOAL...TFC Michael Bradley takes 25 yard freekick from far left
that has TFC Chris Mavinga look like he knocked in a 3 yarder on the right post but replays how it was
deflected in by Ramirez.

61 min...Minn Kevin Molino GOAL...Molino rolls Penalty kick to left and goalie Alex Bono dives to stop on left post
but rebound rolls back to Molino who shoots low shot to right into open net as the defenders were slow to react.

76 min...TFC Tosaint Ricketts GOAL... TFC Jozy Altidore blocks clearance and gets to ball at 12 yards on left
and cross from near endline has Ricketts head in 5 yarder.

Final Score:.......Toronto FC.........3...........Minnesota United............2.............

Attendance was announced as 27,249.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as Raheem Edwards. The TV crew
picked Tosaint Ricketts.

TFC extends their winning streak to six games in a row! The league record in the 'modern era'
is only eight. In earlier times it's about double that because there were no ties in the
league's first years as tie games were settled by shootouts.

There will be concern about Giovinco who left before the end of the first half with an injury.
What depth that TFC could sub in another designated player--Jozy Altidore. Jason Hernandez
did not come back after halftime. Later reports said it was food poisoning. Jonathan Osorio
had been sick and missed this game. Nick Hagglund had to come off with a leg injury.
Minnesota scored in the moments before TFC could warm up a sub for Hagglund.

Tosaint Ricketts proved he could play a full 90 minutes without tiring. I always expected
Altidore would sub in but throught he'd replace Ricketts, not Givoinco.

I didn't notice Giovinco getting a shot at goal (except his Penalty kick) so maybe he was
hurting much earlier that his 43 minute subbing off.

These six wins is more remarkable in that TFC only took 23 days to achieve it. (the last
five wins were in only 15 days!) Mentions in the press say coach Greg Vanney and captain
Michael Bradley say their team is the deepest in the league and the rotation of the players
has kept everyone sharp. Most impressive to me is the two road wins within the same week.
TFC now gets a break until Friday when they're on the road to New York Red Bulls.

TFC continue to lead the East and open up a six point lead on their pursuers although
there are three Eastern teams playing Sunday against Western conference teams.

The Minnesota goals were both scored by Kevin Molino who played for Orlando City last year.
MU coach Adrian Heath was coach of OC until partway through last season. This year Heath
has become the first coach of MU and probably insisted on a trade to acquire Molino at the
start of the season. Minnesota started the season with a dreadful record conceding 18 goals
in their first four games before tightening up.

Molino reacted calmly to having his Penalty kick saved by stepping forward and slotting
home the rebound away from the fallen goalie into the open net before any TFC
defenders reacted.

Allen Chapman the referee gave out only one Yellow card and that was late in the second half
injury time to Altidore for not giving ten yards on a freekick in the Minnesota end.

In warmups I didn't see Jozy Altidore in the starting eleven nor the subs although I saw
there were only six subs. With 11 minutes to go he came out to the field to join the subs.
I've seen him do that here earlier this season.

Pregame highlights showed scenes from the Columbus road game including the Crew goal
and Jozy Altidore having his Penalty kick saved so it wasn't just the TFC goals.
Also since it's the Mother's Day weekend, there were videos shown of TFC players
thanking their mothers.

The owners have been hitting the TFC II game here hard. Promos, twitter messages, e-mails etc.
Maybe I got them twice as I am a season ticket holder for both teams. So now it's
stay behind to catch the second game. The USL match between TFC II and Bethlehem
Steel FC from Pennsylvania starts one hour after this game ends.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
20' TOR Sebastian Giovinco (PK)
52' MIN Kevin Molino Assisted By: Abu Danladi
54' TOR Christian Ramirez (OG)
62' MIN Kevin Molino
77' TOR Tosaint Ricketts Assisted By: Jozy Altidore

Disciplinary
90'+3' TOR Jozy Altidore Reason: Not Retreating

Lineup

Toronto FC
87 F Tosaint Ricketts
10 F Sebastian Giovinco (44')
25 G Alexander Bono
6 D Nick Hagglund (65')
12 D Jason Hernandez (HT)
23 D Chris Mavinga
4 M Michael Bradley
31 M Armando Cooper
18 M Marco Delgado
8 M Benoit Cheyrou
44 M Raheem Edwards

Bench
1 G Clint Irwin
7 D Víctor Vázquez (65')
33 D Steven Beitashour
2 D Justin Morrow
15 D Eriq Zavaleta (HT)
14 M Jay Chapman
17 F Jozy Altidore (44')

Manager Greg Vanney

Minnesota United FC
21 F Christian Ramirez
33 G Bobby Shuttleworth
3 D Jerome Thiesson
14 D Brent Kallman
5 D Francisco Calvo
8 D Marc Burch
19 M Sam Cronin
7 M Ibson (90')
9 M Abu Danladi (78')
18 M Kevin Molino
10 M Miguel Ibarra (79')

Bench
1 G John Alvbage
4 D Jermaine Taylor
2 D Justin Davis
20 M Rasmus Schüller
26 M Collen Warner (78')
15 M Ismaila Jome (90')
11 M Johan Venegas (79')

Manager Adrian Heath

Officials
Referee Allen Chapman
Assistant Referee Adam Wienckowski
Assistant Referee Jeremy Hanson
Fourth Official David Gantar

Match Information
MLS at BMO Field
Toronto, ON
Attendance 27249
Weather Clear

Team Statistics
TOR MINN
13 Shots 9
3 Shots on Target 4
6 Shots off Target 4
4 Blocked Shots 1
8 Corners 3
17 Crosses 18
1 Offsides 0
9 Fouls 8
1 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0
488 Total Passes 503
82 % Passing Accuracy 84 %
49.2 % Possession 50.8 %
48 Duels Won 50
13 Tackles Won 17
2 Saves 1
11 Clearances 13

Toronto FC starters