September 18, 2016 MLS--Toronto FC vs New York Red Bulls (by Rocket Robin)

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

Toronto FC (white socks and shirts, blue shorts, red names and numbers)

.................25 Alex Bono
33 Steven Beitashour...15 Eric Zavaleta...3 Drew Moor...2 Justin Morrow
7 Will Johnson...4 Michael Bradley (cpt)...21 Jonathan Osorio...18 Marky Delgado
...........17 Jozy Altidore...22 Jordan Hamilton

Subs:...1 Clint Irwin (gk)...6 Nick Hagglund (def)...8 Benoit Cheyrou (mid)...9 Tsubasa Endoh (mid)
...11 Mo Babouli (fwd)...19 Daniel Lovitz (fwd)...31 Armando Cooper (mid)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

New York Red Bulls (blue socks and shirts, yellow shorts, names and numbers)

.................31 Luis Robles
25 Chris Duvall...78 Aurelien Collin...55 Damien Perrinelle...92 Kemar Lawrence
16 Sacha Kljestan (cpt)...27 Sean Davis...8 Felipe Martins...77 Daniel Royer
...........19 Alex Muyl...99 Bradley Wright-Phillips

Subs:...18 Ryan Meara (gk)...11 Dax McCarty (mid)...13 Mike Grella (mid)...15 Sal Zizzo (def)
...30 Gozalo Veron (mid)...33 Aaron Long (mid)...98 Shaun Wright-Phillips (mid)
team officials:...head coach Jesse Marsch

Game officials:...referee Robert Sibiga...referee's assistants Daniel Belleau and Jeff Muschik
...fourth official Geoff Gamble...(teal shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 5:04pm...TFC defends north end on this hot and humid evening with a bright sun in the west.
55 sec...TFC Morrow cross from 30 yards on far left is caught by goalie over his head on right post.
1 min...TFC Morrow rush up left and cross from 25 yards along left end line is headed away from 6 yards on left post by NYRB Collin. Morrow was injured on play by sliding tackle by NYRB Duvall and crashed into end boards.
2 min...TFC Morrow long throw-in near left cornerflag is headed away at 15 yards by NYRB Collin.
6 min...TFC Hamilton rolls cross from 20 yards near left end line. TFC Osorio taps ball back from 8 yards and TFC Delgado 12 yard low shot deflects off NYRB Collin's foot at 7 yards and pop over the net.
6 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from left has NYRB Kljestan at 4 yards on left head ball away.
7 min...NYRB Lawrence on give and go with Kljestan has Klejestan finish with tap over from 28 yards on left and Lawrence run to near left end line and fire shot from 18 yards well over net.
9 min...TFC Zavaleta clearance kick attempt from 35 yards on left is off face of NYRB Royer injurying him but ball deflects to center of field for charging NYRB Wright-Phillips to dribble down middle and who taps ball back on edge of box and ball cleared but TFC Moor injured on play.
11 min...NYRB Steven Beitashour (own goal) GOAL...NYRB Felipe dribbles to edge of box on right and rolls pass to center for NYRB Wright-Phillips at 12 yards in middle who taps ball back to him as he continues his run forward and Felipe sends in low cross from 15 yards on right even with 6 yard line through box and TFC Beitashour slides back in middle of box but pokes 4 yarder into left corner of own net with NYRB Daniel Royer waiting on left post for a tap-in and goalie stuck on line in center of net.
15 min...NYRB Kljestan chips 50 yard freekick down middle and NYRB Collen from 18 yards on right heads ball across box and retreating TFC Bradley heads ball wide right of net from 4 yards with three NYRB players waiting in 6 yard box waiting for tap-in.
15 min...NYRB Kljestan cornerkick from right is whistled down in box before it lands.
16 min...TFC Hamilton run up on left and rolls cross from 20 yards on left into 6 yard box and TFC Osorio has ball deflect off his leg wide left from 6 yards.
19 min...NYRB Wright-Phillips taps centering pass for NYRB Felipe who takes low 30 yard shot up middle that's smotherd by goalie.
22 min...TFC Johnson rush on right and threads pass from 40 yards that finds charging TFC Altidore st 22 yards in middle bumps his way by NYRB Perrinelle and his sliding tackle and he pushes ball by diving goalie at 6 yards who gets a hand to it and Altidore rolls 5 yard shot from right into outside webbing of net.
23 min...TFC Osorio on right dekes NYRB Lawrence and runs into box on right and rolls 12 yard cross that a retreating NYRB player stops at 5 yards and defender blocks Osorio from getting away shot at 7 yards on right.
25 min...NYRB Kljestan chips from 30 yards on right and NYRB Wright-Phillips heads 7 yarder down middle that leaping goalie palms over net from 3 yards.
26 min...NYRB players work out short cornerkick from left has TFC Bradley clears NYRB Kljestan low cross from 25 yards from left.
27 min...TFC goalie catches cross from 30 yards on left by NYRB Royer.
29 min...NYRB Kljestan 35 yard freekick from left is over players in box wide right for goalkick.
30 min...NYRB Bradley Wright-Phillips GOAL...TFC Marky Delgado tries to evade NYRB Daniel Royer at 30 yards on left and slips and taps ball back and centers towards goal and Wright-Phillips at 25 yards rushes forward to 12 yard down middle and chips ball over sliding goalie at 7 yards.
36 min...NYRB Kljestan 35 yard shot up middle bounces for goalie to catch.
38 min...NYRB Royer chips pass from 65 yards on left to center and forwards and ball bounces for NYRB Wright-Phillips who charges forward at 45 yards and chips 40 yarder down middle over stranded goalie at 28 yards and ball bounces wide left of net.
40 min...TFC Michael Bradley GOAL...TFC Jonathan Osorio passes ball forward and left from 35 yards to TFC Morrow running up left and he sends low cross from 22 yards into box and charging TFC Bradley shoots 15 yarder up middle over flying goalie Luis Robles into right side of net.
41 min...NYRB Royer shot from 40 yards down middle is high and over net but wins cornerkick on right.
42 min...NYRB Kljestan cornerkick from right has NYRB Duvall head ball from 15 yards on left into 6 yard box where NYRB Wright-Phillips misses connecting on 5 yard bicycle kick and goalie punches ball away at 2 yards.
43 min...TFC Altidore low 20 yard shot from right is smotherd by diving goalie on left post.
44 min...TFC Morrow cross from 30 yards on left sideline has TFC Altidore chest down at 8 yard while even with right post and NYRB Lawrence hooks foot in at 6 yards to clear ball on right preventing shot.
46 min...half ends 5:51pm.

Halftime Entertainment:...There's the usual Nestle Drumsticks and Tony from Pizza Pizza giveaways. There's also a quiz about the leaf blower company who is a sponsor. Question: DeRo was signed in 2014 over 2008 and 2015. There is a bubble soccer game between only two contestants who run once around the net then score a goal with Primo pasta as a sponsor.

2nd Half:...starts 6:08pm.
47 min...TFC Beitashour cross from 25 yards on far right has NYRB Duvall outjump TFC Osorio at 7 yards on left and head away.
47 min...NYRB Bradley Wright-Phillips GOAL...NYRB Daniel Royer rush down right wing and pass down sideline from center line finds NYRB Alex Muyl at 40 yard line and he continuew down wing and crosses from 35 yards to NYRB Sacha Kljestan in middle at 30 yards and his short pass to left finds Wright-Phillips in open on left at 15 yards and he bends in-swinger around goalie at 4 yards into right corner of net.
50 min...TFC Zavaleta shoots 25 yarder from right after throw-in worked out is well wide left of net.
51 min...TFC Johnson taps pass back in middle for TFC Hamilton at 35 yards and Hamilton rushes up middle and shoots 22 yard shot between players just wide left of net.
52 min...TFC sub...Cooper replaces Delgado.
52 min...NYRB Kljestan at 40 yards in middle threads through ball pass to NYRB Wright-Phillips rush up middle on break splitting defence at 22 yards and rolls 15 yard shot wide right of post with goalie out to 8 yards to try to stop.
53 min...TFC Bradley 40 yard freekick from left is headed away by NYRB Wright-Phillips on edge of box.
58 min...TFC Bradley low cornerkick from right has NYRB defender whiff on clearance at 20 yards on right and ball pops over to TFC Johnson who blasts 20 yard shot down middle that deflects off defender on edge of box and pop wide left for cornerkick.
58 min...TFC Johnson cornerkick from left is over players in box. TFC Moor retreats to right sideline to rescues ball and crosses from 30 yards on far right and TFC Altidore leaps and heads 7 yarder down middle that bounces just wide right of post.
59 min...NYRB sub...Grella replaces Royer.
60 min...TFC Beitashour heads ball back to goalie to prevent NYRB Grella from getting to it at 15 yards.
61 min...TFC Bradley 40 yard freekick down middle is group of players on edge of box and goalie is able to catch on right side of box at 8 yards.
62 min...NYRB Muyl is hurt at TFC 40 yard line in head to head collision with TFC Morrow jumping for header on goal kick.
.........TFC sub...Lovitz replaces Johnson.
.........TFC sub...Endoh replaces Zavaleta.
63 min...TFC goalie dives on ball up left to prevent NYRB Wright-Phillips from getting to roller sent forward from 50 yards.
64 min...TFC Endoh cross from 25 yards on right drifts behind net.
65 min...TFC Endoh wins cornerkick on blocked cross from 22 yards that deflects off NYRB Lawrence.
65 min...TFC Endoh cornerkick from right has ball cleared by NYRB Kljestan header at 8 yards in middle.
65 min...TFC Beitashour chips from 55 yards on right just over heads of TFC players on left end line.
67 min...TFC Jozy Altidore GOAL...Altidore 30 yard freekick from even with left post deflects off head in player wall at 20 yards and bends and dips under bar into left side of net. (Altidore looked like he talked Michael Bradley into letting him take kick).
68 min...NYRB Wright-Phillips hooks ball around TFC Moor on right edge of box and gets away shot after running towards to middle and 18 yard shot deflects off TFC Morrow and bounces wide right of net.
68 min...NYRB sub...Zizzo replaces Muyl.
69 min...NYRB Kljestan low cornerkick from right has closest defender on right side clear at 10 yards.
71 min...TFC Hamilton flicks kick with back to NYRB goal holding off defender from 20 yards and ball bounces for goalie to pick up.
73 min...TFC Bradley cross from 40 yards on right has sliding TFC Lovitz on wide left near end line pop up kick from 7 yards that goalie catches.
74 min...TFC Lovitz cross from 22 yards on left to middle has NYRB defender clear from 8 yards in middle of box.
75 min...TFC Morrow gets to loose ball at 35 yards on left and crosses from from 30 yards and TFC Altidore makes flying header in front of NYRB Perrinelle at 8 yards on right and flying goalie catches on left side of box.
75 min...TFC Moor makes poor headed backpass from 25 yards and NYRB Wright-Phillips gets foot in to make flick just in front of goalie who blocks it at 12 yards and picks up on edge of box.
76 min...TFC Bradley chips 50 yard pass forward just too far in front of charging TFC Hamilton at 15 yards and ball bounces over left end line.
78 min...NYRB Kljestan is injured in center circle tripping over sliding TFC Altidore.
80 min...NYRB YELLOW card...Duvall earns it for argueing call on last play.
80 min...NYRB sub...McCarty replaces Davis.
80 min...TFC Bradley 35 yard freekick from left is caught by goalie on right post at 6 yards.
82 min...TFC Endoh cross from 25 yards on far right has NYRB Felipe chest down at 8 yards on right and clear from box.
84 min...TFC Bradley 45 yard chip pass down middle is too far for TFC Endoh at 10 yards on right to get to.
85 min...TFC Jozy Altidore GOAL...TFC Michael Bradley feeds pass from 30 yards on right forward to Altidore at 20 yards in middle and he turns around on NYRB Collen whose clearance attempt deflects off Altidore just outside box and he steps forward and shoots 17 yarder up middle that deflects off foot of NYRB Chris Duvall at 15 yards and rolls into right corner of net past diving goalie.
88 min...NYRB Lawrence throw-in from left has TFC Bradley head away in center of box at 12 yards.
89 min...NYRB Felipe is injured at TFC 35 yard line winning freekick. Felipe needs trainer. TFC Lovitz bashed him over.
90 min...NYRB Kljestan freekick from 40 yards on right has TFC Hamilton leap in crowd of players at 15 yards and head ball away starting fast break out.
91 min...NYRB YELLOW card...Felipe earns it for knock over of TFC Lovitz at NYRB 30 yard line.
92 min...TFC Bradley 35 yard freekick down middle has defender head away at 8 yards on right.
93 min...TFC Altidore and TFC Bradley with Bradley actually running past ball can't get away shot inside NYRB box.
94 min...NYRB Felipe rolls centering pass from 28 yards on right over to NYRB Wright-Phillips at 8 yards but sllding TFC Beitashour intercepts ball before it gets to him although offside flag was up.
95 min...game ends 6:58pm.

Final Score:.......Toronto FC.........3...........New York Red Bulls............3.............

Attendance was announced as 24078 which is a let down for the home team being in first place and with nice weather. Today was a heritage day game and a pregame ceremony honoured Dwayne De Rosario's TFC career. We earlier arrivals recieved a De Rosario collector card.

It was announced on the PA to the cheering crowd after tonight's result that "TFC clinches a playoff spot". They are the first team to do so! [Late edit: The league recalculated the odds after the weekend and took it back. TFC hadn't clinched and only FC Dallas is definitely in the playoffs.]

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was announced as Jozy Altidore who scored the last two goals of tonight's match to tie the game. I agree he was the best choice.

Jozy Altidore has now scored eight goals in his last nine games and looked really good tonight. He talked Michael Bradley out of a freekick as all of Bradley's freekicks were floated into the box looking for headers and usually directly to the NYRB goalie Luis Robles. Altidore's freekick goal was worthy of teammate Sebastian Giovinco who had been teased as a possible sub to the press but was not in tonight's lineup as he recovers from an injury. After the tieing goal Altidore grabbed the ball and sprinted up the field to get the game restarted as quick as possible.

TFC Tsubasa Endoh was often open on the wing and had fans yelling for passes to be sent his was but his crosses were behind the end line or easily clear when sent towards the box.

TFC's defence was never suspect but an own goal and a few giveaways raise doubts.

TFC made a wise move to keep Alex Bono as the starting goalie. I've watched regular Clint Irwin's last few games on their USL TFC II team while he recovers from injury and he didn't look good. Bono couldn't be blamed on the goals today although one misstep was being caught out at 30 yards and NYRB Bradley Wright-Phillips chipped a 40 yard shot just wide of the post.

Referee Robert Sibiga gave out only two Yellow cards (none to TFC) and only one of them was for an actual foul in a game with a few hard tackles and injuries.

TFC stays in first place in the East and doesn't lose ground as other Eastern teams tied on the lower ranked team won, or the West team beat the East team. Out West even the 1st place FC Dallas only earned a tie in the Supporters' Shield race. TFC also has at least a game in hand on all their Eastern playoff rivals except fading Montreal.

TFC should be awesome when Sebastian Giovinco returns and they finish their schedule with four of their last five games at home and all against lower ranked Eastern teams.

Only TFC worry was that Will Johnson and Jonathan Osorio often made one too many passes and lost possession.

NYRB gave up a two goal lead with 6 minutes to go to DC United just last week and have a reputation of dropping points late in their games. Their podcast 'Seeing Red' says they've dropped 18 points from late collapses this season. However, they are now undefeated in 15 games in all competitions (includes CCL matches). That stretches back to July 3rd the podcast said.

NYRB could have been tired after their CCL game Thursday against Alianza FC--a 1-0 win for NYRB at home.

NYRB Bradley Wright-Phillips scored two goals to lead the MLS this season with 20. TFC Sebastian Giovinco was the Golden Boot winner last season but is injured right now and has 16.

The streetcars were not running into the CNE grounds as they were during the Exhibition. I asked a TTC employee on my walk along Fleet Street and he said they'll be finished by November 20th--after the playoffs I expect. The route now has its old tracks dug up and it appears the new tracks have arrived. On the way home I walked past the absent Fort York shuttle buses and past the short-turned loop for absent streetcars near Bathurst and all the way Union Station where I could catch the subway. That was a good hour walk.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
12'    NYRB   Steven Beitashour (OG) 
31'    NYRB  Bradley Wright-Phillips 
41'    TOR   Michael Bradley            Assisted By: Justin Morrow, Jonathan Osorio 
48'    NYRB  Bradley Wright-Phillips    Assisted By: Sacha Kljestan, Alex Muyl 
68'    TOR   Jozy Altidore              
86'    TOR   Jozy Altidore              Assisted By: Michael Bradley 

Disciplinary
81'    NYRB  Chris Duvall               Reason: Dissent 
90'+2' NYRB  Felipe                     Reason: Unsporting Behavior 

Lineup

Toronto FC 
17 F Jozy Altidore 
22 F Jordan Hamilton 
25 G Alex Bono 
33 D Steven Beitashour 
15 D Eriq Zavaleta     (64')
 3 D Drew Moor 
 2 D Justin Morrow 
 4 M Michael Bradley 
 7 M Will Johnson      (63')
18 M Marco Delgado     (53')
21 M Jonathan Osorio 

Bench
 1 G Clint Irwin 
 6 D Nick Hagglund 
 9 D Tsubasa Endoh     (64')
 8 M Benoit Cheyrou 
31 M Armando Cooper    (53')
19 M Daniel Lovitz     (63')
11 F Mo Babouli 

Manager  Greg Vanney 

New York Red Bulls 
99 F Bradley Wright-Phillips 
31 G Luis Robles 
25 D Chris Duvall 
78 D Aurélien Collin 
55 D Damien Perrinelle 
92 D Kemar Lawrence 
 8 M Felipe 
27 M Sean Davis            (81')
19 M Alex Muyl             (69')
16 M Sacha Kljestan 
77 M Daniel Royer          (60')

Bench
18 G Ryan Meara 
33 D Aaron Long 
98 M Shaun Wright-Phillips 
11 M Dax McCarty            (81')
15 M Sal Zizzo              (69')
13 M Mike Grella            (60')
30 M Gonzalo Verón 

Manager Jesse Marsch 

Officials
Referee  Robert Sibiga 
Assistant Referee  Daniel Belleau 
Assistant Referee  Jeff Muschik 
Fourth Official  Geoff Gamble 

Match Information
MLS at BMO Field
Toronto, ON
Attendance 24078
Weather Sunny

Team Statistics

TOR                         NYRB
 11     Shots                 11 
  5     Shots on Target        6 
  4     Shots off Target       2 
  2     Blocked Shots          3 
  4     Corners                4 
 17     Crosses               11 
  2     Offsides               4 
  7     Fouls                 15 
  0     Yellow Cards           2 
  0     Red Cards              0 
499     Total Passes         339 
 79 %   Passing Accuracy      67 % 
 59.8 % Possession            40.2 % 
 54     Duels Won             54 
 14     Tackles Won           18 
  3     Saves                  2 
 14     Clearances            14

Toronto FC starters