May 26, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result and details of the Saturday May 26, 2018 USL game between Toronto FC II and Tampa Bay Rowdies
played at BMO Field in Toronto at 2:00pm.

Toronto FC II (all red, white names and numbers)

.................28 Caleb Patterson-Sewell
77 Brandon Onkony...61 Rocco Romeo...49 Robert Boskovic...38 Kyle Bjornethun
58 Jordan Faria...50 Matthew Srbely...48 Dante Campbell...45 Luca Uccello (cpt)
...........64 Shaan Hundal...56 Malik Johnson

Subs:...40 Drew Shepherd (gk)...37 Gideon Waja (mid)...39 Luca Petrasso (mid)...42 Steffen Yeates (mid)
...43 Aikim Andrews (fwd)...46 Marko Mendekic (def)...51 Malyk Hamilton (fwd)
team officials:...manager Laurent Guyot

Tampa Bay Rowdies (green & yellow hooped socks and shorts, green shorts and names on yellow hoop, white numbers)

....................50 Akira Fitzgerald
17 Tamika Mkandawire...27 Hunter Gorskie...25 Lance Rozeboom...15 Zachary Portillos
7 Junior Flemmings...26 Joe Cole (cpt)...23 Michael Nanchoff...4 Marcel Schafer...11 Leo Fernandes
.......................8 Jochen Graf

Subs:...1 Cody Mizell (gk)...9 Alex Morrell (mid)...10 Georgi Hristov (fwd)...13 Sebastian Guenzatti (fwd)
...16 Max Lachowecki (def)...18 Jack Blake (mid)...20 Martin Vingaard (mid)
team offiials:...manager Neill Collins

Game officials:...referee Alain Ruch...referee's assistants Peter Pendli and Melissa Sneddon
...fourth official Alexis Vaughan (all black uniforms)

1st Half:...game starts 2:06pm...TFC defends south end on this humid and overcast afternoon
55 sec...TFC Johnson rolls 20 yard shot from left wide left of net.
1 min...Rowdies goalie is out to 15 yards to catch high bouncer.
3 min...Rowdies Flemmings sends in cross from right and Rowdies Graf heads 12 yarder over net.
5 min...TFC Onkony bends 33 yard shot from right wide left of net.
6 min...Rowdies Flemmings runs up right and low 20 yard shot is stopped by sprawling goalie at 8 yards.
8 min...TFC Uccello 30 yard freekick from left is caught by goalie stepping forward on right post.
9 min...TFC Johnson cross from left edge of box has TFC Uccello one-touch 10 yard shot up middle that
flying goalie blocks at 2 yards and defender clears rebound.
10 min...TFC Srbely run in from right has Rowdies Nanchoff slide poke check to concede cornerkick.
10 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from right has goalie catch over head of TFC player at 6 yards.
11 min...Rowdies Flemmings long run up right has TFC Bjornethun slide to block cross.
11 min...Rowdies Schafer cornerkick from right is short and recross over to Rowdies Mkandawire on left end line
and his cross is whistled down.
12 min...TFC Hundal run on left with Rowdies Rozeboom restricting him and he shoots 20 yarder wide left.
15 min...Rowdies Schafer 15 yard shot on left is over net after high pass across from center.
16 min...Rowdies Portillos rolls pass forward on left and goalie beats Rowdies Graf to 7 yards to smother.
17 min...Rowdies YELLOW card...Nanchoff earns it for his tackle on TFC Campbell at TFC 50 yard line.
18 min...Rowdies Schafer cross from 22 yards on left has goalie reach forward to catch in front of players.
20 min...TFC YELLOW card...Uccello earns it for flipping over Rowdies Rozeboom at Rowdies 50 yard line jumping
for header.
23 min...Rowdies Junior Flemmings GOAL...TBR Marcel Schafer running down left sideline crosses in from 18 yard
line is over TBR Jochen Graf and two defenders on left and bounces in middle past retreating and sliding
defender and to charging Flemmings on right who shoots 3 yarder between goalie and post.
24 min...Rowdies Michael Nanchoff GOAL...TFC goalie Caleb Patterson-Sewell and then defender make two saves
on shots inside the box and ball deflects out to Nanchoff at 25 yards and he one- touches blast up middle
between crowd of players to low left corner of net past diving goalie.
25 min...TFC YELLOW card...Bjornethun earns it for pulling down Rowdies player on right who got past him.
26 min...Rowdies Schafer 35 yard freekick from right has Rowdies player in crowd of players at 15 yards head
wide right.
28 min...TFC goalie outjumps charging Rowdies Graf to grab high bouncing cross from right.
29 min...Rowdies Flemmings and TFC Bjornethun is injured in crash. TFC win freekick. Flemmings needs trainer.
30 min...TFC Uccello freekick from 28 yards far left has defender kick away when ball drops at 10 yard line.
31 min...TFC Bjornethun long throw-in from left has Rowdies Graf flick header high over own net.
31 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from left has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players in box.
33 min...Rowdies Schafer cornerkick from right has Rowdies player not able to turn header in crowd of players
and ball is out left side of box.
36 min...Rowdies Fernandes long run up left but 22 yard shot is high over net when TFC Campbell jostles him off ball.
37 min...TFC Onkony bends 30 yard cross from right is just over TFC Johnson at 8 yards on far left.
39 min...Rowdies YELLOW card...Cole earns it for tackle on TFC Campbell at TFC 45 yard line.
43 min...Rowdies Schafer cross from 25 yards on far left is well over box. Rowdies Flemmings can't work
it in from right.
45 min...Rowdies Flemmings cross from 20 yards to Rowdies Fernandes (who's called offside) but shot from 15 yards
injures goalie at 5 yards.
47 min...half ends 3:53pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There's an Anthony's Espresso "Fan of the Match" contest where the loudest cheering fan
was given an Espresso machine.

Rowdies hold an 11-5 advantage in shots and 4-1 to shots on target so far.

2nd Half:...starts 3:08pm...the sun has now come out and shining from the south.
halftime sub:...TFC Petrasso replaces Bjornethun.
46 min...Rowdies Fernandes and Schafer give and go up left and Fernandes pushes it over left end line.
48 min...TFC Uceelo cornerkick from right has Rowdies Mkandawire flick header over box. A TFC cross from 10 yards
into ends with TFC Srbely blast shot down middle just wide right.
49 min...TFC Dante Campbell GOAL...TFC Luca Petrasso just inside box on left stops cross from right end line
and takes a step back and crosses into 6 yard box where Campbell bumps defender to get ball at 5 yards
and roll into left corner of net beyond diving goalie.
52 min...Rowdies Schafer cornerkick from left is through players in box and TFC defender clears on right side of box.
54 min...TFC Srbely 35 yard cross from right has goalie dive forward to catch at 12 yards.
56 min...Rowdies Schafer 33 yard freekick from right has Rowdies player in crowd of players head from left
at 10 yards and goalie catches on near post.
58 min...TFC Boskovic ducks to concede cornerkick from cross from 2125 yards into 6 yard box.
58 min...Rowdies player's cornerkick from left has defender head away.
58 min...TFC Johnson long run up right on 3 on 1 break but Rowdies Cole get back to intercept low cross.
59 min...TFC sub...Andrews replaces Hundal.
59 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from right has TFC Boskovic pop 15 yard header down middle over net.
61 min...Rowdies Schafer 28 yard freekick from far right has defender clear.
62 min...TFC Malik Johnson GOAL...TFC Luca Uccello blocks last defender TBR Max Lachowecki's clearance and
steps past him to be in on a breakaway up the middle. He gets to 18 yards with a faster defender catching
him and rolls pass to charging Johnson who one touches 8 yarder from left rolling under sprawling goalie
Akira Fitzgerald at 5 yards into center of net.
63 min...Rowdies Flemmings breaks tackle cutting near right end line and shoots into short side webbing on net.
64 min...Rowdies sub...Lachowecki replaces injured Portillos. Players use this time to take a water break.
65 min...TFC Johnson wins cornerkick on his cross along left end line.
66 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from left has Rowdies Graf head away. Recross finds TFC Boskovic offside.
66 min...Rowdies sub...Guenzatti replaces Fernandes.
68 min...TFC Johnson cross from left has Rowdies Rozeboom head away.
69 min...TFC Onkony and Rowdies Flemmings go to ground on cross from left into box and Rowdies can't win
Penalty kick.
71 min...TFC YELLOW card...Romeo earns it for flattening Rowdies Lachowecki on run to TFC 35 yard line.
72 min...Rowdies Hunter Gorskie GOAL...TBR Marcel Schafer bends 35 yard freekick from left over to right side
of 6 yard box and charging Gorskie steps in front of TFC Aikim Andrews who was trying for midair kick and heads
it over upraised arms of goalie into center of net.
74 min...TFC Andrews rolls weak 28 yarder up middle to goalie.
75 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from right has goalie catch in center of net at 2 yards overhead preventing header.
76 min...Rowdies YELLOW card...Gorskie earns it for tackle on TFC Romeo at TFC 35 yard line.
77 min...Rowdies sub...Hristov replaces Graf.
78 min....TFC sub...Hamilton replaces Campbell.
84 min...Rowdies goalie catches cross from right with run forward between players in box.
86 min...TFC Faria cross in box has defender clear on three part play.
87 min...TFC Johnson cross from left is blocked by defender.
87 min...Rowdies Junior Flemmings GOAL...TFC Brandon Onkony misheads a TBR clearance at center line on right
and ball lands at TFC 50 yard line where Flemmings runs down the right cutting towards middle on a breakaway
chased by two defenders and lofts 20 yarder over goalie at 5 yards into middle of net.
90 min...Rowdies Hristov can't win freekick when TFC Onkony bumps him over.
92 min...Rowdies Schafer lofts 15 yard shot from left that goalie catches.
94 min...TFC Johnson gets cross from right at 12 yards but ball poked away by one of four guys.
95 min...game ends 3:58pm.

Final Score:...Toronto FC II......2......Tampa Bay Rowdies........4.......

Attendance wasn't announced but the USL website published it at 141. Rowdies players
came over to the sideline after the game to thank their thirty or so fans who were
in attendance. 141? Where were all those fans who complained that TFC II was playing
in the sticks in Vaughan in front of crowds of 700-1100 who promised they'd come when
the club moved to the downtown? I guess the downtown o hipsters were staying home
prepping for the UEFA championship game. Just this year three of the TFC II players
moved up to the MLS team. Today's goalie was on the bench last night in case Clint Irwin
was hurt. Our TFC II tote bags given out at today's game will be collectors items!

Referee Alain Ruch gave out three Yellow cards to each team. There were a few hard
checks but more instances of open end to end action.

TFC II team rep Alex Adamo invited fans to sit in the pitch side seats that have the
tables in front of them. If there's any rain they are not protected (not going
to happen today). They were installed after a few seasons of MLS play and replaced
the patio furniture which restricted the views of persons sitting with their back to
the field but any seating here limits the run ups on throw-ins.

TFC II who hadn't won this season had me going with their comeback...thinking the
humid heat wasn't bothering them so no advantage to the Florida players and maybe
the young energy would triumph over the 'old guys' on the Rowdies roster. Most famous
are former English international Joe Cole, team captain at 36, Bulgarian Georgi Hristov
at 33 (he was subbed on at 77 minutes) and former Germany international Marcel Schafer
also 33 who took the corners and freekicks. A game ago defender Neill Collins was
suddenly named the head coach at age 34. He was on the sidelines today. In the
last 20 minutes it was the Rowdies players who were complaining about being called
offside as they set off on breakaways as TFC II had to press. 'Two goals today'
Junior Flemmings is only 22 and a Jamaican international who I remember here last
season with New York Red Bulls II.

Luca Uccello was back as a starter for TFC II and as the captain. This is his fourth
year on the team (he's still only 20). I was only noticing him as he was on the bench
and becoming a late sub or not coming on at all. Head coach Laurent Guyot said after
the game Uccello's expectations are higher (ie four years in USL) and it was tough
mentally for him a few weeks ago but now he's back (two goals against Atlanta United 2)
and the assist today “showed an amazing spirit”.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was not named. I received a tweet hours
later that it was Malik Johnson. He scored what was the tieing goal at the time.

Guyot said this team so far is like a puzzle! They've never had the full puzzle—sometimes
the defence is good and sometimes the offence breaks through but never together.
“It's an issue!” Yes he's right! A puzzle! They've scored seven goals in their last
three games after only scoring three goals in their first eight. However they've allowed
eleven goals in their last three games when before they had allowed a respectable
thirteen goals in their first eight games.

I had forgotten that TFC defender Julian Dunn-Johnson, and midfielders Aiden Daniels and
Nobel Okello Ayo were away playing for the Canadian U-23s (ie Olympic team)
at a tournament in Europe.

Rowdies were in ninth at game time but vault to fifth (first game of today's busy weekend)
with a 5-5-1 record. They'd had not won on the road all season and hadn't scored
a road goal until today!

Final stats from the league showed that Rowdies were flagged ten times for being offside.
(four for TFC II) that proved frustrating for them but they cooled down when they had
the lead.

Rowdies jersey sponser appears to be the 'Seminole Hard Rock Hotel'.

TFC II's record falls to 0 wins, 9 losses, 2 ties for 16th in the Eastern Division.
They now go on the road to Ottawa to play the Fury this Wednesday. The Fury started off
the season with a record worse than TFC then have rattled off five shutouts in a row.
Ottawa will face the playoff winner of the Oakville Blue Devils vs AS Blainville
(L1O vs PLSQ league champions) series. The winner advances to play TFC (the MLS team).
Ottawa won their home leg against TFC last year. The fact that TFC have played so many
Canadians in their main roster this season (through injuries to their starters) means
they should be stronger than last year as Voyageurs' Cup rules say teams must use three
Canadian starters and last year they were using guys that had been on the bench for
a month. I think TFC won't be scrounging for match fit Canadians!

And...only I would dwell on this...TFC III in League 1 Ontario play tonight in a one-off
League Cup game round of 16 on the road against Windsor TFC. With a lot of their firepower
on today's roster, I'm not sure who can step in to this 'must win' game.

The field at BMO looked at the best it's been this season but today is the last game
as it's being torn up to re-sod.

Toronto FC starters