August 12, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Richmond Kickers game review (by Rocket Robin)

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

Result and details of the Sunday August 12th, 2018 USL game between Toronto FC II and Richmond Kickers
played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30pm.

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

...............28 Caleb Patterson-Sewell (cpt)
36 Tim Kubel...35 Lars Eckenrode...49 Robert Boskovic...38 Kyle Bjornethun
45 Luca Uccello...48 Dante Campbell...27 Liam Fraser...46 Tsubasa Endoh
...............50 Matthew Srbely...22 Jordan Hamilton

Subs:...30 Borja Angoitia (gk)...37 Gideon Waja (mid)...47 Terique Mohammed (def)...55 Aiden Daniels (mid)
...56 Malik Johnson (mid)...58 Jordan Faria (mid)...61 Rocco Romeo (def)...64 Shaan Hundal (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Michael Rabasca

Richmond Kickers (all white, red names and numbers)

..................1 Trevor Spangenberg
11 Matthew Bolduc...5 Conor Shanosky...15 Mallan Roberts...10 Scott Thomsen
.......................31 Braeden Troyer
21 Brian Shriver (cpt)...27 Raul Gonzalez...28 Greg Boehme...71 Luiz Fernando
..................16 Heviel Cordoves

Subs:...33 Brandon Barnes (gk)...3 Austin Yearwood (def)...7 Neil Hlavaty (mid)...14 Yudai Imura (mid)
...24 Christopher Osei-Wusu (mid)...25 Brandon Eaton (mid)...55 Mekeil Williams (def)
team officials:...head coach David Bulow

Game Officials:...referee David Barrie...referee's assistants Melissa Sneddon and Graham Forsyth
...fourth official Alexis Vaughan...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

First Half:...game starts 7:36pm...TFC defends south end. The weather is cooler than the MLS game but now
I've switched over to the west side stands.
1 min...TFC YELLOW card...Bjornethun earns it for knocking over RK Bolduc at TFC 50 yard line near sideline.
2 min...RK Shriver cross from 30 yards on right has charging RK Fernando midair 8 yarder down middle over bar on one-touch shot
5 min...TFC Kubel cross from 25 yards on right has TFC Hamilton scissor kick up middle at 20 yards that's blocked by defender.
6 min...TFC Fraser recovers partial clearance and 25 yard shot up middle has goalie palm ball over bar.
7 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from left has defender jump over TFC Hamilton on right and wins freekick in box.
9 min...TFC Endoh 35 yard freekick from left headed awayby defender TFC Uccello cross from 25 yards on far right is caught
by goalie in crowd of players.
11 min...TFC goalie charges out to beat RK Cordoves to through ball pass on right and clears into stands.
12 min...RK Cordoves lunges to get 6 yard shot on cross from left that hits back pole outside of net and deflects back onto field.
(so play was immediately whistled down).
13 min...RK Bolduc rush down right and low cross has defender slide to prevent RK Cordoves gettint 6 yard shot.
14 min...TFC Kubel cross from right has goalie leap to catch over crowd of players waiting for tap-in.
16 min...RK goalie picks up bouncer sent in by TFC Kubel from 30 yards on right.
18 min...TFC Uccello rush down right and 28 yard shot is low and saved by diving goalie.
19 min...RK Thomsen cross from left sideline wins cornerkick when defender on right prevents RK tap-in chance.
20 min...RK Thomsen cornerkick from right has RK Shanosky pop up 7 yard header and goalie stops.
20 min...RK Roberts sliding poke check on TFC Hamilton in box preventing 15 yard shot.
21 min...TFC goalie out to 28 yards to head away from charging RK Cordoves.
23 min...RK Fernando bends 25 yard cross from right that bounces wide left for goalkick.
24 min...TFC Kubel cross from right has RK Shanosky head away in middle on edge of 6 yard box.
25 min...TFC Endoh cross over players in box.
25 min...TFC Endoh cuts 22 yard roller up middle tghat rolls just wide left but cornerkick.
27 min...RK Gonzalez rolls pass to RK Shriver on right but he has 10 yard shot blocked from near end line.
28 min...TFC Kubel high cross from right is well high wide left of net.
29 min...TFC Endoh blasts 30 yard shot up middle just wide right of post but wins cornerkick.
30 min...TFC Endoh cornerkick from right is low has TFC Srbely shoot over net from 12 yards.
The TFC reserves are warming up already.
32 min...TFC Campbell rolls 25 yarder wide left of net unplayed.
33 min...RK Cordoves blasts 20 yard shot hitting defender and back off him and out for goalkick.
35 min...TFC Hamilton passes ball to teammate and back to Hamilton on right post has shot blocked
and later 20 yard shot has TFC win cornerkick on the left with Hamilton and TFC Endoh trying to jab it in.
36 min...TFC player's high cornerkick from left is well over players in box.
38 min...RK YELLOW card...Gonzalez earns it for shirt grab on TFC Endoh at RK 42 yard line.
40 min...TFC Endoh cross after run down left and TFC Fraser mid-air shot up middle from 25 yards is wide right.
40 min...RK Shriver shot from 22 yards on right deflects to goalie.
41 min...TFC Kubel rushes up right and TFC Srbely charging in middle deflects it wide right.
42 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from right has TFC Eckenrode charging in middle deflects it wide right.
44 min...TFC Endoh 35 yard freekick from left has defender pop up 20 yard header and goalie catches at 3 yards.
45 min...half ends 8:21pm with no extra time.

Second Half:...starts 8:37pm.
halftime sub:...TFC Daniels replaces Endoh.
45 min...TFC Srbely rushes down right eluding defender and cross into box from 20 yards is cleared by defender.
47 min...TFC Jordan Hamilton GOAL...TFC Aiden Daniels at RK 50 yard line on left rolls centering pass
to TFC Liam Fraser at 45 yard line and he steps forward 5 yards and chips forward to Hamilton who receives
ball between defenders on edge of box and steps forward and shoots 15 yarder past charging goalie
Trevor Spangenberg at 10 yards into left side of net.
48 min...TFC Uccello low 30 yard shot from right is wide left of net.
52 min...RK Shriver low 30 yarder from right is smothered by goalie.
52 min...RK Bolduc crosses from 15 yards on right is well over players in box.
53 min...RK Troyer second chance for another shot and his 28 yard shot is caught by goalie.
53 min...TFC goalie smothers through ball pass.
54 min...TFC Kubel cross from right has TFC Srbely shoot 12 yarder wided left.
55 min...RK Thomsen is hurt at RK 40 yard line sideline.
57 min...TFC Uccello 30 yard freekick chip up middle and TFC Hamilton on left side of box pops up header and defender
kicks away for throw-in.
58 min...TFC Srbely gets two chances alone on goalie who makes two point blank saves from 15 yards and 6 yards.
58 min...RK YELLOW card...Roberts earns it for trip attempt on TFC Srbely on edge of box while on his run.
59 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick wins another cornerkick on right on defender's header.
59 min...RK sub...Imura replaces Boehme.
60 min...RK Fernando blasts 25 yarder down middle well high and wide left of goal.
61 min...TFC goalie beats RK Cordoves to smother chipped down downfield at 7 yards.
64 min...RK Fernando keep ball in play on left end lline but cross into box has TFC Bjornethun chest ball back to goalie.
65 min...TFC Uccello rush down right and cross through box has TFC Srbely not able to control it nor keep it in play on left
sideline after chasing it over that far.
68 min...RK Roberts tackles TFC Hamilton from behind injurying him. Hamilton needs trainer.
71 min...RK sub...Osei-Wusu replaces Cordoves before play resumes.
73 min...TFC Kubel throw-in from right has TFC Hamilton run along 20 yard line but rolls weak shot to goalie on left.
74 min...TFC Dampbell rush down left and centers pass to TFC Srbely who shoots wide right from 15 yards.
75 min...RK Shriver rushes down middle and rolls ball past goalie from 15 yards but retreating TFC Kubel gets foot
in to deflect ball wide right at 6 yards.
77 min...TFC sub...Hundal replaces Hamilton.
79 min...TFC sub...Waja replaces Campbell.
81 min...RK Shanosky is able to check TFC Hundal off tha ball on left side of box.
83 min...TFC Fraser gives up freekick on body check.
84 min...TFC YELLOW card...Srbely earns it for flipping over RK Imura.
85 min...RK Thomsen 45 yard freekick has RK Fernando have shot blocked. RK Thomsen then
chips up 20 yarder that bounce to goalie.
86 min...RK Shriver cross from right has TFC Kubel make key header in middle of box.
88 min...TFC Waja low ross from right is through 6 yard box and goalie picks it up.
89 min...RK Fernando wins cornerkick on low cross.
89 min...RK Shriver cornerkick from left has ball pinballed around with headers.
90 min...RK Fernando shoots 28 yarder down middle wide right of goal.
92 min...RK Imura cross from 35 yards on left has RK Troyer flick 12 yard header wide right.
93 min...game ends 9:25pm.

Final Score:...Toronto FC II.........1.......Richmond Kickers.....0........

Attendance wasn't announced but was initially listed on the USL website as 425 than amended to 696.
This was still quite a disappointment from the 27935 who had been in BMO Field earlier to see the MLS game
that had just ended 90 minutes earlier. They haven't played in Toronto since July 1st which was also
a double header with their MLS team playing first so that may have helped drop them off the radar.

When the MLS game ended it was still hot and the sun was shining directly into out eyes so I expected
we would be invited to cross over to the west side stands. I asked an usher and she said they didn't know.
I started going around via the south end and had no trouble. After sitting for quite awhile an usher
on the west side said we'd all have to move. He looked and sounded like Fred Mertz, the landlord/neighbour
character on 'I Love Lucy'. Some fans told him that we were told we could come over to this side. Then
TFC president Bill Manning stood up in his box and said "Let them stay". Fred Mertz immediately backed
off and like on the show might as well have said to Manning "Yes Honeybunch". Another usher/good tried
to remove us five minutes later but other ushers told him to back off.

Referee David Barrie gave out two Yellow cards to each team including his first at 1 minute to TFC Kyle Bjornethun
for a hard tackle which seemed to settle the game down. Only surprise is that at 68 minutes he let
RK Mallon Roberts (a Canadian on Richmond!) get away with a tackle from behind on Jordan Hamilton. Hamilton
subbed off at 77 minutes and was wearing a fabric cast around his shin after the game. (I didn't realize
Roberts was on a Yellow card so that's why he may have escaped with no further punishment).

Kickers almost scored at 2 minutes when Brian Shriver crossed from 30 yards on the right and the charging
Luiz Fernando's first-touch midair 8 yarder down the middle was chipped over the bar. 6 minutes had
TFC Liam Fraser recover a partial clearance and took a 25 yard shot up the middle had the goalie palm
over the bar. RK Haviel Cordoves lunged at a 6 yard shot on a cross and hit the back post but outside
the net at 12 minutes.

TFC midfielder Matthew Srbely was moved up to forward with Hamilton. He had a rough night with him deflecting
a cross from TFC Tim Kubel up the middle and wide right at 41 minutes. He forced the RK goalie to make
two point blank saves on him at 15 yards then 6 yards at 58 minutes. He was not able to control Luca Uccello's
cross to him inside the RK box nor even keep it in bounds on the sideline after it got away at 65 minutes.
TFC Dante Campbell rushed down the left and centered him a pass and he shot wide right from 15 yards.
He then drew a Yellow card at 84 minutes. Better luck next game!

Caleb Patterson-Sewell earned the shutout for TFC II. I didn't feel he had too much to do but the game was saved
from being tied at 75 minutes when RK Brian Shriver rushed down the middle and rolled a shot past CP-S at 12 yards
but the retreating Tim Kubel got a foot to the ball to deflect it wide right at 6 yards. Kubel was also up the
field sending in some good crosses to help the offence.

89 minutes had RK Shriver send in a cornerkick that was pinballed around in the box on a series of headers
and added time had RK Yudai Imura send in a cross that RK Braedon Troyer flicked a 12 yard header wide right
of the post. The last fifteen minutes had TFC hanging on.

TFC II head coach Michael Rabasca said after the game he was happy with the result after a long week of training
and their performance was decent. Winning helps the mood and he was pleased with the USL guys in attack and
creating chances but they could have been sharper but it's hard to integrate first team players brought into
the team. Training for thirty hours a week helps avoid the mental fatigue that creeps into their game.
It demands 90 minutes of attention. He answered he was pleased with how recently signed Tsubasa Endoh (he was
on last year's MLS/USL team) has a nice calming presence on the ball and he's familiar with how they play and
gives instructions to the players. He had a conversation with Jordan Hamilton at halftime about his performance
and expectations and said Hamilton listens to feedback if it's fair. Hamilton ran over to the bench after
he scored.

After the game Hamilton said they put in a good team performance with a solid game plan and executed well after
a slow start. He said the coach got into them at halftime and they had a point to prove. He switched it up in the
second half by getting behind the defenders. I asked him about this performance and Liam Fraser's getting them into
the Wednesday Canadian Championship game (where TFC has to use at least three Canadian starters) and he answered
“Every time you get to play is an opportunity to show the first team you deserve and want to play...they watch
every game”. He said it's sometimes hard to break into the first team. “Here (USL) it's my job to provide
leadership and score goals”. When asked about leadership he said he uses USL games as a training exercise and
it's a common progression. “...I want to be the main forward for the first team one day”. Hamilton won another
coffee maker from the team sponsor for being named 'Man of the Match'.

This was TFC II's last game at BMO Field this season. After one more 'home' game in Rochester New York the rest
of their home schedule with be at Lamport Stadium. Rabasca answered me that they are looking forward to the
familiarity and not having to travel.

This was the first TFC II win in Toronto this season although they won once in Rochester (their other home)
just two games ago...two wins in their last three games! Their record improves to 2 wins, 16 losses, 3 ties
for 9 points. They are still sixteenth (last) in the Eastern Conference. They have a plus/minus in goals
scored/given up of -26 which that's still worst in the league.

Richmond now have played their last four games without scoring and are now six games without a win including
five losses. Their season record is 5 wins, 14 losses, 3 ties for 18 points and a plus/minus of -25.

TFC II next plays this Thursday in Rochester against Bethlehem Steel FC then have two rescheduled road games
August 22nd and 28th against Indy Eleven and Louisville City then start their Lamport stand
on Friday August 31st against Atlanta United 2 (Hmm the current fifteenth place team).

That completed a TFC triple-header for me as I caught TFC III in League 1 Ontario play at 11:00am in Downsview.
They lost to fellow first place holders Sigma FC. Also TFC on a six game unbeaten streak were beaten and
so tonight's TFC II game would have been my last choice to answer “If only one TFC team would win today,
who would it be?”.

Toronto FC II starters