September 28, 2016 MLS--Toronto FC vs Orlando City SC (by Rocket Robin)

September 28, 2016 MLS--Toronto FC vs Orlando City SC played at BMO Field in Toronto (by Rocket Robin)

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Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

.................25 Alex Bono
33 Steven Beitashour...3 Drew Moor...6 Nick Hagglund...2 Justin Morrow
18 Marky Delgado...4 Michael Bradley (cpt)...31 Armando Cooper...21 Jonathan Osorio
............87 Tosaint Ricketts...17 Jozy Altidore

Subs:...1 Clint Irwin (gk)...7 Will Johnson (mid)...8 Benoit Cheyrou (mid)...11 Mo Babouli (fwd)
...15 Eriq Zavaleta (fwd)...19 Daniel Lovitz (fwd)...22 Jordan Hamilton (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

Orlando City FC (all white, putple sleeves, names and numbers)

....................1 Joe Bendik
12 Kevin Alston...4 Jose Aja...44 David Mateos...14 Luke Boden
18 Kevin Molino...5 Servando Carrasco...10 Kaka (cpt)...20 Brek Shea
............11 Carlos Rivas...9 Cyle Larin

Subs:...36 Earl Edwards Jr (gk)...3 Seb Hines (def)...7 Cristian Higuita (mid)...19 Julio Baptista (fwd)
29 Tommy Redding (def)...30 Matias Perez Garcia (mid)...46 Tony Rocha (mid)
team officials:...head coach Jason Kreis

Game officials:...referee Alan Kelly...referee's assistants Eric Weisbrod and Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
...fourth official Daniel Radford...(teal shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 7:48pm...TFC defends south end on this mild night with a wind from the east but blocked by stands.
45 sec...TFC Delgado rolls 25 yard shot from right between players and well wide right of net.
3 min...TFC Altidore low cross from 30 yards on far right. TFC Osorio backheel flick across box along 12 yard line from right. TFC Ricketts shot from 12 yards up middle deflects off OC Alston at 10 yards and deflects wide right for cornerkick.
4 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from right has TFC Ricketts flick 8 yard header from right just over top left corner.
5 min...TFC Ricketts rescues long chip from TFC Bradley on right end line and one-touch high cross from 20 yards on end line has TFC Morrow at 15 yards on left bounces midair shot wide right of net.
6 min...TFC Bradley short cornerkick from left with TFC Cooper botched up with them not even getting ball into box.
7 min...TFC Osorio chip from 22 yards on right has TFC Morrow charge and shank 12 yarder on left wide left of net.
8 min...TFC Bradley 35 yard freekick from far left has defender head away at 10 yards in crowd of players in middle of box.
10 min...OC Kaka cross from 25 yards on left pops up on deflection into box and defender heads away at 8 yards in middle of box. OC Shea recovers just outside box and runs to right and then forward and rolls ball across box at 8 yard line just outside right of box. OC player whiffs on ball on right and OC Larin blasts low 10 yard shot forward that diving goalie pushes wide left and defender partially clears. OC player rescues ball on left sideline and crosses back into box where Larin knocks it down but defender checks him off ball at 10 yards without getting shot.
12 min...TFC Altidore 25 yard freekick from left is high and wide left of net.
13 min...OC Carrasco beats defender to ball and takes 22 yard shot from right that's caught by goalie on right side of net.
15 min...OC Kaka dekes TFC Cooper on right at 30 yards and rushes forward and rolls pass across box from 20 yards along 8 yard long and OC Larin turns back for it but falls and ball rolls out left side unplayed.
15 min...TFC goalie runs out and smothers ball just inside box to beat OC Larin from getting to it.
17 min...OC Molino taps pass from center along 22 yard line and charging OC Kaka blasts 22 yard shot from left is just high and wide right of net.
18 min...TFC Osorio rolls pass from 25 yards in middle over to open TFC Delgado on right at 18 yards and he runs forward to 12 yards and shoots roller wide left of net with sliding TFC Morrow just a step behind from tap-in on left post.
20 min...TFC Delgado wins cornerkick on low cross from 20 yards on far right that deflects off defender.
21 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from right has OC Kaka head ball away at 15 yards in middle of box in crowd of players.
21 min...TFC Morrow cross from 25 yards on far left has OC Kaka head away at 12 yards in center of box.
23 min...OC Larin can't win freekick on long rush to ball between two defenders where he's knocked over by TFC Moor just inside box but ball ahead of him and goalie picks up TFC Hagglund's header back to him.
24 min...TFC Bradley 25 yard freekick on far left has goalie at 3 yards near right post punch ball through box out right side for throw-in.
24 min...TFC Osorio passes from right along 20 yard line across box and TFC Cooper blasts 22 yard shot up middle just wide of top right corner of goal.
26 min...TFC Bradley 30 yard freekick from left is cleared from box after hitting TFC Altidore in his back at 15 yards in crowd of players.
28 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from left has defender head away from 4 yards in middle of box. TFC Morrow high kicks off bouncer from 20 yards that the goalie catches well wide right of net.
28 min...OC Larin on left end line dekes ball past TFC Moor rolls 15 yard shot into short side webbing of net.
30 min...TFC Osorio rolls pass forward from 25 yards on left and TFC Ricketts charges in and has 8 yard point blank shot stopped at 6 yards by sprawling goalie and with back to net taps ball back but out of box.
30 min...TFC Morrow cross from 20 yards along left end line has TFC Altidore chest ball down and turns and fires 16 yard shot forward up middle while even with right post that goalie dives to smother on right post.
35 min...OC Boden cornerkick from right is short and eventually wasted on cross into box.
36 min...TFC Altidore wins cornerkick on deflection off defender of his cross along right endline.
37 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from right has OC defender at 15 yards in crowd of players leap and head ball away which starts a fast break out.
37 min...OC Kaka long run up middle and rolled pass to OC Shea at 20 yards on right and Shea rolls pass for OC Molina in center but pass is behind him and he falls when he tries to turn back.
38 min...TFC Bradley 35 yard freekick from left is knocked wide left in scramble at 6 yards.
39 min...OC sub...Higuita replaces Rivas.
41 min...OC Larin wins cornerkick as TFC Hagglund kicks over end line as Larin had turned around TFC Moor at 15 yards on right.
42 min...OC Boden cornerkick from right has goalie in crowd of players at 4 yards swat ball forward. OC Higuta charges forward and shoots mid-air 15 yard rebound down middle well over net.
43 min...OC Alston long throw-in from right has TFC Cooper in middle of box head ball away.
44 min...OC YELLOW card...Shea earns it for complaining about non-call when he overran ball and TFC Osorio pushes him to get by. Shea is injured at TFC 30 yard line.
46 min...half ends 8:34pm.

Halftime Entertainment:...There's the usual Nestle Drumstick ice cream and Tony from Pizza Pizza giveaways. There's a Casinorama card game where a contestant gets a grand prize on a Safety Card Weekend getaway with a $1000 value and another leaf blower relay race. For the card game, we on the east side could see the front of the cards the staff were holding away from the conteatant so I think the contestant could hear the roar and picked the grand prize.

2nd Half:...starts 8:50pm.
46 min...OC Larin and OC Shea on give and go play but a defender rushes Shea to roll cross into box from 25 yards and goalie picks up at 7 yards.
48 min...TFC Bradley chips 25 yarder down middle. TFC Altidore taps pass from 6 yards on left post and TFC Osorio diving header from 6 yard down middle is sent over net.
51 min...TFC goalie beats OC Larin to smother through ball at 15 yard line on right.
52 min...TFC Cooper 23 yard shot down middle is caught by goalie under bar in middle.
54 min...OC Alston 28 yard freekick from right has goalie at 6 yards in crowd of players on left post punch ball forward.
54 min...TFC YELLOW card...Ricketts tripping OC Kaka while cutting along edge of box from left side.
56 min...OC Kaka 22 yard freekick down middle deflects off TFC Cooper and well wide left for cornerkick.
56 min...OC Boden cornerkick from left has TFC Altidore leap and head ball away at 6 yards while even with left post.
57 min...TFC Morrow runs to left end line and cross wins cornerkick on deflection off OC Alston at 15 yards along line.
57 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from left is just over heads of leaping players in middle of box and out right side of box. TFC Delgado swing cross from 30 yards on right back into box where defender heads it across box from 18 yards and ball deflects off foot of OC Molino and goalie smothers near left post.
61 min...OC YELLOW card...Higuata earns it on delayed call for sliding tackle on TFC Delgado at OC 50 yard line who was also sliding for ball.
62 min...OC Boden pass from 28 yards on left finds OC Larin on edge of box but can't control it between two TFC defenders and ball rolls through for goalie.
62 min...TFC Cooper is checked off ball by sliding defender at 6 yard line on left from 18 yards for goalkick on deflection.
64 min...TFC Morrow second chance for cross from 18 yards near left end line after having first chance blocked by OC Alston is sent over crowd of players and TFC Delgado charges forward and one-touch blasts 13 yard shot forward that flying goalie bats wide right of right post.
66 min...OC Molina rush down middle and tries to get by two defenders on edge of box but TFC Hagglund slides to hook ball away at 9 yards preventing Molina regaining control and ball rolls away for throw-in.
67 min...TFC goalie dives to smother ball at 6 yards on OC Kaka on 1 on 3 rush into box on left.
69 min...TFC Altidore chip from 22 yards on right has OC Aja head ball away and is injured when TFC Ricketts bicycle kick attempt kicks him in face at 8 yards in center of box.
69 min...TFC RED card...Tosaint Ricketts earns his second Yellow card of the game for his part on the last play.
70 min...OC Shea low cross from 30 yards on far right deflects off defender and goalie smothers on right post.
72 min...OC Kaka bashes around TFC Hagglund pushing him aside and 8 yard shot on left is batted down at 4 yards and picked up by goalie on left post.
73 min...TFC YELLOW card...Beitashour earns it for grab on OC Molena at 20 yards deking other defender on rush up left.
74 min...TFC sub...Lovitz replaces Delgado.
.........OC sub...Garcia replaces Shea.
74 min...OC Kaka freekick from 22 yards on left has TFC Moor pop up header at 5 yards on right post and ball deflects back to Kaka but his pass is intercepted and ball cleared.
75 min...OC Kaka is checked off ball on left side of box on block by TFC Beitashour.
75 min...OC Molino cornerkick from left has TFC Moor head away at 8 yards on right post.
76 min...OC Garcia cornerkick from right has ball popped up by TFC Altidore at 8 yards in crowd of players and ball cleared out left side of box.
77 min...TFC sub...Johnson replaces Cooper.
78 min...OC Garcia cornerkick from right has ball popped up and cleared from left although play whistled down in box.
78 min...OC Larin heads ball forward from 25 yards after TFC goalie shanks clearance at 20 yards and they bump together but defender clears.
80 min...OC Garcia cornerkick from left is partially cleared and OC Carrasco chip from 22 yards is called offside at 5 yards on OC Kaka header although TFC goalie catches ball.
82 min...OC Kaka, Larin, and Molina on pinballing run into TFC box on left has goalie save by smothering ball when Molino slips up bumping with defenders at 8 yards.
84 min...TFC Bradley breaks in on right and cross from 8 yards is blocked and ball deflects out of box.
85 min...TFC sub...Cheyrou replaces Osorio.
.........OC sub...Baptista replaces Molino.
87 min...TFC Hagglund clears ball at 8 yards when OC Baptista steps around TFC Moor at 15 yards on right.
90 min...OC Garcia rolls ball from 22 yards that's deflected off defender and ball too far for diving goalie wide left of goal to save from a cornerkick.
90 min...OC Garcia cornerkick from left has OC Larin pop up header on right backwards and defenders clear out left side of box.
91 min...TFC Cheyrou at 60 yards on left passes ball forward for TFC Morrow who crosses into box from 22 yard line and retreating OC Mateos at 15 yards in middle of box partially clears. TFC Johnson following up blasts low 25 yarder up middle just wide left of post.
93 min...game ends 9:39pm.

Final Score:.......Toronto FC.........0...........Orlando City FC...............0.............

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was named as goalie Alex Bono. He earned the shutout and no TFC player scored so he was the obvious choice. I think it's good to rotate healthy goalies.

Attendance was announced as 23,805 for this midweek game on this mild and windy night. This is the second of three home games within the same week.

We did get to see both Kaka and Larin play together for the visitors as last season there was something keeping one of the other off the field. Kaka had some nice crossfield runs and dribbled past a few defenders. Larin was mostly well covered and couldn't get any A+ chances to score.

TFC earn their third straight tie in their home stand. This further sets back their chances of winning the Supporters Shield and ensuring they hold home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Dallas FC in the West look most likely to win that title.

TFC's result puts them in first place by one point over the two New York teams but they've now used up their game in hand. They now have three games to go until the end of the regular season. None of TFC, Red Bulls nor NYCFC have any games against each other.

TFC looked like they were going to run away with this game in the first half and one shot or bounce would break the game open but for some inaccurate shooting.

After 70 minutes it looked more like Orlando would score the winner with TFC down a man. TFC didn't venture as often upfield looking to protect this tie result.

Orlando really needed to win as they are currently below the playoff line. They will be encouraged by their improvement from allowing four goals in each of their last three games in consecutive losses.

TFC and Orlando had split their two previous games in Orlando this season. TFC goalie Clint Irwin was injured in their first match and missed months of action and then went through rebab with TFC II in the USL. In tonight's game howver Alex Bono was given the start. He earned the shutout with not much to do but gave fans two scary moments including whiffing on a clearance while outside the box at 78 minutes allowing Kyle Larin a chance if he'd got by him but two retreating defenders covered and cleared the danger.

TFC Jozy Altidore was always a danger but had fewer chances than their Saturday game against Philadelphia. The team teased the return of Sebastian Giovinco all week but he wasn't even on the subs bench. I'd agree not to rush him back from injury even if it means holding back until the playoffs.

The Ricketts Red card preventing other Canadian forwards Jordan Hamilton and Mo Babouli from coming off the bench. 70 minutes would have been a good time to bring one of them on to replace Ricketts who was tiring.

There's no Sebastian Giovinco again tonight for TFC. There's no need to rush him back while he recovers from his injury but the team and media were teasing his return all week.

Joe Bendik earned the shutout for Orlando. He had been TFC's goalie last year and had practised with many of the TFC players in 2015 so he know what they could do. The TSN network broadcast picked him as their player of the game.

The TFC defence looked solid and only a few individual plays allowed Orlando shots. This can build good playoff soccer confidence down the stretch.

This was the first time I'd seen Armando Cooper start for TFC. He had a few off target shots and passes. He is currently 'on loan' from CD Arabe Unido in Panama. He is a Panamanian international player.

There is now scaffolding in the south end. It looks like they are installing more seats for the playoffs and the Grey Cup football game. There's only six rows in the north end because of the renovations to the stadium for football to extend the endzone for that spot...there's nothing being added at that end.

I lost one of the eyepieces for my binoculars but found it in the intermission thankfully in the row in front of me.

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
None

Disciplinary
45' ORL  Brek Shea           Reason: Dissent 
56' TOR  Tosaint Ricketts    Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
62' ORL  Cristian Higuita    Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
70' TOR  Tosaint Ricketts    Reason: Unsporting Behavior  (2nd Yellow)
74' TOR  Steven Beitashour   Reason: Unsporting Behavior 

Lineup

Toronto FC 
17 F Jozy Altidore 
87 F Tosaint Ricketts 
25 G Alex Bono 
33 D Steven Beitashour 
 3 D Drew Moor 
 6 D Nick Hagglund 
 2 D Justin Morrow 
 4 M Michael Bradley 
18 M Marco Delgado     (75')
31 M Armando Cooper    (78')
21 M Jonathan Osorio   (86')

Bench
 1 G Clint Irwin 
15 D Eriq Zavaleta 
 8 M Benoit Cheyrou    (86') 
 7 M Will Johnson      (78')
19 M Daniel Lovitz     (75')
22 F Jordan Hamilton 
11 F Mo Babouli 

Manager  Greg Vanney  
 
Orlando City SC 
 9 F Cyle Larin 
11 F Carlos Rivas        (40')  
 1 G Joe Bendik 
12 D Kevin Alston 
 4 D José Aja 
44 D David Mateos 
14 D Luke Boden 
 5 M Servando Carrasco 
18 M Kevin Molino         (86')
20 M Brek Shea            (75') 
10 M Kaká 

Bench
36 G Earl Edwards 
 3 D Seb Hines 
29 D Tommy Redding 
19 M Julio Baptista       (86')
30 M Matías Pérez García  (75')
46 M Tony Rocha 
 7 F Cristian Higuita     (40')

Manager  Jason Kreis 

Officials
Referee  Alan Kelly 
Assistant Referee  Eric Weisbrod 
Assistant Referee  Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho 
Fourth Official  Daniel Radford 
 
Match Information
MLS at BMO Field
Toronto, ON
Attendance 23805
Weather Clear

Team Statistics

TOR                           ORL 
 15     Shots                   8 
  4     Shots on Target         3 
  9     Shots off Target        4 
  2     Blocked Shots           1 
  7     Corners                 8 
 26     Crosses                19 
  1     Offsides                1 
 15     Fouls                  14 
  1     Yellow Cards            2 
  1     Red Cards               0 
379     Total Passes          446 
 78 %   Passing Accuracy       80 % 
 46.8 % Possession             53.2 % 
 59     Duels Won              55 
 16     Tackles Won            14 
  3     Saves                   4 
 23     Clearances             21

Toronto FC starters