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April 14, 2024...MLS NEXT Pro...Toronto FC II vs FC Cincinnati 2 game report (by Rocket Robin)
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Toronto FC II (all red uniforms, white names and numbers)
..........................40 Adisa De Rosario
95 Nate Edwards...97 Tristan Pusztahegyi...51 Adam Pearlman...58 Ythallo
72 Mark Fisher...68 Lucas Olguin...73 Jesus Batiz...71 Markus Cimermancic
...................38 Charlie Sharp...82 Julian Altobelli (cpt)
Subs:...80 Shafique Wilson (gk)...70 Matthew Catavolo (gk)...75 Luca Accettola (mid)...76 Lazar Stefanovic (def)
84 Philip Igbinobaro (mid)...85 Marko Stojadinovic (mid)...91 Dekwon Barrow (fwd)...92 Theo Rigopoulos (def)
98 Kristjan Fortier (def)
team officials:...head coach Gianni Cimini...assistant coach Marco Casalinuovo...goalkeeper coach David Monsalve
FC Cincinnati II (white socks, shorts, and backs, white & blue hooped chests, orange names and numbers)
............................30 Hunter Morse
........96 Gael Gilbert...38 Brian Schaefer...41 Nico Benalcazar (cpt)
42 Amir Daley...52 Yair Ramos...44 Ben Stitz...37 Iven JHimenez
........49 Peter Mangione...43 Jesus Castellano...33 Isaiah Foster
Subs:...99 Kayne Rizvanovich (gk)...40 Alejandro Guido (mid)...48 JUuan Machado (def)...50 Yeiner Valoyes (mid)
...61 Nicholas Samways (mid)...64 Connor Stout (def)...68 Justin Hylton (mid)...77 Stefan Chirilla (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Tyrone Marshall...assistant coach Shavar Thomas...goalkeeper coach Ryan Coulter
Game officials:...referee Mario Alayass...referee's assistants Joey Filipic and Vasyl Dzikh...fourth official Yusri Rudolph
...(all black uniforms)
First Half:...game starts 2:02pm...TFC defends north end with a bright sun in the south.
2 min...FCC Mangione is injured at TFC 45 yard line on tackle by TFC Pusztahegyi.
6 min...TFC Altobelli 35 yard freekick from left is whistled down in box.
9 min...TFC Edwards shoots 10 yarder forward wide right of post on give and go play from right side with TFC Sharp
and TFC Pusztahegyi.
11 min...TFC Charlie Sharp GOAL...TFC Julian Altobelli on run up open left wing cuts along end line into box
and crosses into 6 yard box where charging TFC Jesus Batiz heads 3 yarder up middle that hits crossbar and bounces
downward and upfield. Sharp shoots rebound low from 6 yards up middle between defender at 1 yard line and left post.
12 min...TFC YELLOW card...A member of the coaching staff was given a card on the bench.
13 min...TFC Edwards low cross on run on left has defender slide in box to clear at 10 yard line.
15 min...TFC Sharp heads ball down cross in box at 15 yards but defender clears.
15 min...TFC YELLOW card...Pusztahegyi earns it for knocking over FCC Castellano in front of TFC players' bench.
17 min...TFC Altobelli on run up middle pushes ball too far forward from 25 yards that goalie picks up. TFC Edwarads was
open on right.
23 min...TFC YELLOW card...Pearlman earns it for knock down near center line.
24 min...TFC Edwards wins cornerkick on right endline on blocked cross.
24 min...TFC Batiz high cornerkick from right is caught by goalie overhead in crowd of players on left post.
25 min...FC goalie makes diving save from left on shot and TFC Sharp and another TFC player have follow up shots blocked
by defenders but win cornerkick.
26 min...TFC Batiz cornerkick from left is whistled down in box.
27 min...FCC YELLOW card...Jimenez earns it for ankle tackle lunge while he was down on a nearby TFC player at center line.
29 min...FCC Daley rush in from left and rolls cross along 2 yard line that has FCC Mangione tip 3 yarder but retreating defender
stops on run to goalline and goalie turns to scoop it up.
32 min...FCC YELLOW card...Daley earns it for knocking down TFC Batiz cutting in from left at 33 yard line.
33 min...TFC Batiz 35 yard freekick from slight left is popped forward on header on edge of box but play whistled down
as goalie catches on bounce anyway.
35 min...TFC players get away on a 4v3 break from the center line. TFC Altobelli sends pass to TFC Sharp for run down the middle
who taps over to Altobelli who sends shot from 20 yards off underside of bar and the rebound is cleared.
38 min...TFC Altobelli intercepts clearance and wins cornerkick on left endline on cross.
39 min...TFC Batiz cornerkick from left has TFC Sharp head 8 yarder to left corner but defender clears on bounce.
40 min...FCC heads ball from high cross on left edge of box but ball is cleared.
41 min...TFC Markus Cimermancic GOAL...TFC Mark Fisher from right side taps centering pass to TFC Lucas Olguin
at 40 yard line. Olguin rolls pass to left for TFC Julian Altobelli at 38 yards and he one touches chipped pass down middle
for Cimermancic to charge forward and chip 16 yarder over goalie Hunter Morse who'd come out to 12 yards and ball lands
at 2 yards and bounces just inside left post.
43 min...TFC Altobelli chips 35 yard freekick up middle and TFC Sharp running up left shoots wide left from 8 yards.
46 min...half ends 2:48pm.
Halftime Entertainment: It was the Crossbar Challenge today.
Second Half:...starts 3:03pm.
halftime sub:...FCC Chirilla replaces Ramos.
46 min...TFC Batiz cornerkick from right is low and nearest defender boots ball away.
48 min...TFC Sharp chases for high bouncer upfield for breakaway from 50 yards up middle but has trouble controlling it
and first one then second defender catch him for no shot on edge of box. Sharp is injured on play but the whistle is blown on him.
50 min...TFC sub...Barrow replaces injured Sharp.
51 min...FCC Stitz run in middle and low 25 yard shot up middle is just wide left of post.
53 min...TFC Edwards cuts into right cocrner of box and chips shot that's deflected wide left for a cornerkick.
54 min...TFC Batiz high cornerkick from left has TFC Fisher at 22 yards pop header forward into box and defender clears.
59 min...FCC Mangione freekick from 30 yards on right has leaping defender head ball away in 6 yard box on left post.
Defenders block the 22 yard rebound up the middle.
61 min...TFC Batiz 30 yard freekick from right sideline is headed away. TFC Olguin shoots 25 yard rebound is high and wide left.
62 min...FCC Stefan Chirilla receives short pass from FCC Iven Jimenez at 20 yards while in alignment with left post.
He tries to split defenders at 15 yards and retreating TFC Tristan Pusztahegyi pushes him over. Referee Mario Alayass
signals for an FCC Penalty kick.
63 min...FCC Nico Benalcazar GOAL...Benalcazar stuttersteps run up on Penalty kick and slows then rolls shot to open right
side of net as goalie Adisa De Rosario has already slumped left preparing to dive.
65 min...TFC Edwards away on right on 3 on 1 rush and rolls centering pass from 15 yard line that goalie dives forward to smother
in front of FCC players.
67 min...FCC Jimenez ends play with 22 yard shot that goalie dives to stop on left post. FCC pressure had FCC player gets
behind TFC goalie at top left of box.
69 min...TFC Batiz gets rolled cross at 8 yards when he charges to left side of box but stops it and loses control for no shot.
71 min...TFC Batiz open run on left rolls cetnering pass that goalie smothers and TFC Barrow kicks at him. The goalie is injured
on play.
73 min...FCC sub...Hylton replaces Stitz.
74 min...FCC Mangione rebound shot up middle is through player traffic and goalie kneels to make catch.
76 min...TFC sub...Igbinobaro replaces Altobelli.
............TFC sub...Stojadivovic replaces Pusztahegyi.
............TFC sub...Rigopoulos replaces Edwards.
76 min...FCC player chips 28 yard freekick from left across box and FCC players gets two headers but not towards the 6 yard box.
79 min...TFC YELLOW card...Barrow earns it for diving after being 'pushed over' therefore delaying FCC Schaefer's freekick
from FCC 30 yard line.
80 min...TFC Batiz centers cross along 20 yard line but defender chests ball down and clears.
81 min...FCC Jimenez chips 45 yard cross from right but goalie catches at 15 yards.
82 min...TFC YELLOW card...Fisher earns it for diving at FCC 25 yard line trying to win freekick.
83 min...FCC Daley leaps on right edge of 6 yard box but can't turn header.
84 min...TFC Batiz low cross is centered from left along 18 yard line but defender stops ball and clears.
85 min...FCC sub...Valoyes replaces Schaefer.
89 min...TFC Barrow is checked off ball on 1v2 just outside left side of FCC box.
90 min...FCC Chirilla has ball blocked by defenderrs on right side of TFC box.
91 min...FCC Hylton turns and fires 20 yarder through crowd of players of just wide left of net.
93 min...FCC player tries to center a low pass on the left end line but is blocked.
94:25 min...game ends 3:52pm.
Final Score:...Toronto FC II......2........FC Cincinnati.......1......
Attendance was about 300 (my estimate) on this afternoon that turned out to be mild and sunny—quite a contrast from the all night and early morning rain, wind, and cold temperature. TFC had to run facing the sun in the south in the first half as a result of probably losing the coin toss. The sun was still out in the second half so things evened out. Best non-scoring chances were at 9 minutes whern TFC Nate Edwards shot a 10 yarder forward wide right of the post on a give and go play from the right. 24 minutes had TFC Jesus Batiz send in a high cornerkick from the right that the goalie was able to make an overhead catch in a crowd of players on the left post. The next minute he made a diving save from a shot of the left and TFC Charlie Sharp and another TFC player had their rebound shots in the box blocked by defenders but won a cornerkick. 29 minutes had FCC Amir Daley rush in from the left and roll a cross along the 2 yard line that FCC Peter Mangione tipped forward from 3 yards but a retreating defender stopped it at the 1 yard line and the goalie was able to turn and scoop it up. 35 minutes had TFC suddenly on a 4v3 break from the center line. TFC Julian Altobelli passed to Charlie Sharp in the middle who passed it over to Altobelli who sent a shot from 20 yards off the underside of the bar and the rebound was cleared. 65 minutes had TFC Edwards away on the right on a 3 on 1 rush but he rolled a centering pass along the 15 yard line that the goalie dove forward to smother in front of the TFC players. 67 minutes had FCC players apply pressure that ended when FCC Iven Jimenez sent in a 22 yard shot between a crowd of players that the goalie dove to stop on the left post. Earlier in the play an FCC player had gotten behind the goalie at the top left of the box. Last chance at 91 minutes had FCC Justin Hylton turn and fire a 20 yarder through a crowd of players just wide left of the net. This was the first home game of Toronto FC II this season already in Week 5. Previous weeks were much colder than this. A matinee game was smart as tonight the temperatures will be down to 9C. The win improves TFC's record to 1 win and 2 losses for 3 points. This was only their third game played (some teams are up to five games now). They had their Week 2 game in Chicago postponed and their bye week in Week 3. The result moves them up to twelfth of the fifteen Eastern Conference teams. Only one more game later tonight can effect them when 3 point New England Revolution II plays 2 point New York City II. Cincinnati's record falls to 1 win, 1 tie, 3 losses, 0 shoot-out-wins for 4 points. They played a midweek home game on Wednesday winning 2-1 against New England Revs. Next game for TFC will be against the Revs team on Friday night 7:00pm here at York Lions Stadium. Adisa De Rosario was the goalie for this game and didn't have anything to do until 29 minutes with FCC's one shot on net during the half with a defender making the stop and De Ro scooping up the potential tap-in. First half stats read right off the scoreboard indicated FCC had only 2 shots with 1 on target while TFC were 9 shots with 3 on. For part of last season, De Rosario was 'on loan' to co-tenants York United FC of the CPL but with last season's TFC II #1 goalie Luka Gavran now with the MLS team, it looks like De Ro will be getting a lot more work. Shafique Wilson whom I've watched play for League1 Ontario team Woodbridge Strikers in previous years was his backup today. Charlie Sharp chased for a high bouncer upfield that turned into a breakaway from 50 yards up the middle but had trouble controlling the ball and first one, then a second defender got back to ensure he couldn't get away a shot on the edge of the box. A whistle was blown against him and he went down injured and had to be replaced by Dekwon Barrow at 50 minutes. This could be a concern as the MLS team is devasted already by injuries and may have to fill their subs bench with some TFC II guys so the last thing the team needs is for some of the potential call ups be injured themselves. Referee Mario Alayass gave out seven Yellow cards, five to TFC although one was to a team official on the bench given right after the TFC opening goal. The PK kick call was to TFC defender Tristan Pusztahegyi who was already on a Yellow card. A bit of confusion at 71 minutes when it looked like TFC were going to make a triple substitution but didn't get it done until 76 minutes yet meanwhile FCC were able to bring in a player at 73 minutes within a minute of presenting a sub card. I thought I heard fourth official Yusri Rudolph say “Equipment (something)”. Now would that hold back all three guys? Hmm maybe with a limited amount of substitute windows, it was worth bringing them all in together rather than bringing on the third guy separately. One other quirk in the game was I saw the scoreboard was still running past 90 minutes, in fact right up to 94:25 when the final whistle was blown. After the game I worked my way upstairs to the press box. It is now a MLS NEXT Pro rule. Leave the clock running! I thought about that on the way out. Yeah some games can now have 12 or more minutes of added time. The fans at home can see the time added by the networks but the fans in the stadium have no real idea and start whistling after 30 seconds of added time if their team is holding on to the lead. Now they have some idea of when the game will end. That is an easy to implement rule that I can see working its way upward and downward through different leagues. Well done MLS NEXT Pro! Halftime was a halftime challenge with a fan getting three chances to hit the crossbar with a kick from the Penalty spot. Do it and win a pair of tickets to the Toronto FC MLS home game next Saturday against New England! This was an adult who rolled his first shot and even by his final shot hadn't lifted the ball higher then 6 feet. They gave the tickets to him anyway as a consolation prize. That reminds me of the old joke told by a Quebecer. “First prize is one week in Toronto, second prize is two weeks in Toronto”. A new season for this team means new fans. No more purple tinted haired granny cheering for Rohan Goulbourne. Today it was at least 20 friends and relatives cheering for winger Nate Edwards who looked good running up and down the wing from his defensive spot. A Tajon Buchanan role. After the game I asked if he was related to former TFC player Raheem Edwards who also for some of his time played that style too but the answer was 'No'. I also knew last year's young forward Myles Morgan had moved on but I haven't found out where. I watched him just a few months ago on Canada's U-20s score four goals in their qualifying games for the U-20 Concacaf region World Cup qualifying. He was easy to spot with his fluffy blonde hair and his father cheering from the stands. This year it appears Lucas Olguin has dyed his hair blonde but he's not the same. Once again, as a reminder, TFC II's next home game is next Friday, April 19 right here against New England Revs II at 7:00pm. The stadium this season will be doing some two-games-per-weekend with the first test next Sunday afternoon with York United FC hosting CPL playoff champions Forge FC in their home opener at 4:00pm. Rocket Robin
Stats from MLS NEXT Pro website:
Stats
home club away club
TFC II FC Cincinnati 2
Shots 13 10
Shots on Goal 3 5
Blocked Shots 5 2
Total Passes 262 378
Passing Accuracy % 82.8 91.3
Corners 5 0
Total Crosses 4 5
Offsides 4 2
Goalkeeper Saves 3 1
Clearances 3 4
Fouls 23 16
Yellow Cards 4 2
Red Cards 0 0
Match Facts
Stadium:York Lions Stadium
Location:Toronto
Referee:Mario Alayass
Ast. Referee 1:Joey Filipic
Ast. Referee 2:Vasyl Dzikh
Fourth official:Yusri Rudolf
Toronto FC II starters
FC Cincinnati 2 starters
TFC Charlie Sharp (38) takes opening kickoff.
TFC Julian Altobelli (82) sends in freekick.
TFC Adam Pearlman (51) and Lucas Olguin (68) work to keep FCC Peter Mangione (49) away from ball.
TFC Jesus Batiz (73) freekick is sent into head in FCC player wall.
FCC Jesus Castelano (43) and Ben Stitz (44) line up for second half kickoff.
TFC Jesus Batiz (73) sends cornerkick into box.
FCC Nico Benalcazar (41) scores on this stutter step Penalty kick.
TFC players celebrate after the game.
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