October 26, 2016 MLS Knockout Round--Toronto FC vs Philadelphia Union (by Rocket Robin)

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Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

.................1 Clint Irwin
........15 Eric Zavaleta...3 Drew Moor...6 Nick Hagglund
..................4 Michael Bradley (cpt)
33 Steven Beitashour...31 Armando Cooper...21 Jonathan Osorio 2 Justin Morros
............17 Jozy Altidore...10 Sebastian Giovinco

Subs:...25 Alex Bono (gk)...7 Will Johnson (mid)...8 Benoit Cheyrou (mid)...18 Marky Delgado (mid)
...23 Josh Williams (def)...28 Mark Bloom (def)...87 Tosaint Ricketts (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

Philadelphia Union (all white, black names and numbers)

.................1 Andre Blake
12 Keegan Rosenberry...4 Ken Tribbett...16 Richard Marquez...33 Fabinho
..........11 Alejandro Bedoya...2 Warren Creavalle
.......14 Fabian Herbers...10 Tranquilla Barnetta...13 Chris Pontius
...................17 C J Sapong

Subs:...27 John McCarthy (gk)...6 Roland Alberg (mid)...7 Brian Carroll (mid)...9 Charlie Davies (fwd)
...25 Ilsinho (mid)...26 Auston Trusty (def)...28 Raymon Gaddis (def)
team officials:...head coach Jim Curtin

Game officials:...referee Baldomero Toledo...referee's assistants C J Morgante and Ian Anderson
...fourth official Sylviu Petrescu...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 7:43pm...TFC defends south end on this cold night. It's already dark. All fans are dressed in parkas.
1 min...PU Barnetta 40 yard freekick from right has TFC Moor in crowd of players at 15 yards in box head ball away.
2 min...PU Sapong rushes to right end line to keep ball in play and low cross from 18 yards into box and PU Pontius has 10 yard shot up middle blocked by TFC Zavaleta.
2 min...TFC Morrow run down left to end line and cross into box from 15 yards has PU Creavalle clear in middle at 8 yards.
3 min...PU Barnetta is hurt outside TFC box by arm of TFC Cooper. Play carries on for a while longer until TFC breaks up cross into box.
4 min...PU Pontius cross from 25 yards on left has goalie catch by diving forward at 6 yards in middle of box.
7 min...TFC Cooper low 25 yard low shot from right between player is wide left.
8 min...TFC Giovinco rolls 20 yarder from left off PU Rosenberry and wide right of post.
9 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right is cleared from box when TFC Altidore can't control it at 15 yards in middle.
10 min...PU Rosenberry 55 yard freekick from right is high and PU Pontius on edge of box on left jumps for it but two defenders behind him clear.
12 min...TFC Altidore dribbles into left side of PU box and falls when checked by sliding PU Fabino but pushes pass further to right for TFC Cooper who shoots 15 yarder from right wide right.
13 min...TFC Giovinco cross from 18 yards on left has PU Marquez duck and head ball away from 6 yards in middle of box.
13 min...TFC YELLOW card...Bradley earns it for knocking over PU Barnetta at PU 40 yard line.
14 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...PU Ken Tribbett skies clearance at PU 35 yards on left away from charging TFC Jozy Altidore but back towards goalie. Altidore continues charge upfield and first misses then gets to bouncer at 12 yards on left and hooks mid-air ball away from goalie Andre Blake and over to Giovinco at 8 yards in middle and he chips between two retreating defenders into center of goal off underside of roof of net.
16 min...PU Pontius rush into left side of TFC box but can't get through multi defenders but wins cornerkick.
16 min...PU Barnetta cornerkick from left has TFC Zavaleta at 12 yards on left send high header up and out for another cornerkick.
17 min...PU Barnetta cornerkick from left has TFC Moor at 5 yards near left post pop up ball but forward and out of box.
17 min...PU Rosenberry long throw-in from right has defenders have trouble clearing but prevent PU players from getting shot.
19 min...PU Creavalle checks TFC Giovinco off ball along right end line after TFC Beitashour throw-in and cornerkick awarded.
19 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has TFC Hagglund leap and get head to as he's flipped over at 12 yards even with right post ball over to left for TFC Moor to fly forward at 5 yards on left post past PU defender Creavalle but goalie sprawls to bat away on goal line and ball deflects wide left for cornerkick.
20 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from left is cleared by defender near left post and TFC Morrow chips 35 yarder down middle that goalie catches unchallenged at 5 yards.
23 min...TFC Morrow at 20 yards on left rolls ball into box and TFC Osorio can't get away shot at 6 yards on left post as defender clears away ball.
24 min...PU YELLOW card...Sapong earns it for tackle on TFC Bradley at TFC 50 yard line.
26 min...TFC Giovinco 30 yard freekick from left is into outside webbing of net,
30 min...TFC Osorio is given pass at 35 yards on right and he dribbles to middle and takes an 18 yard roller down middle that is saved by diving goalie near left post.
34 min...PU Rosenberry 35 yard chip from right is wide left and bounces for throw-in.
34 min...PU Barnetta 35 yard freekick from left has TFC Bradley head away from 10 yards on left.
36 min...PU Barnetta 35 yard freekick from left has PU Sapong head 8 yarder in middle that goalie catches in center of goal. Sapong is injured on play.
38 min...TFC Giovinco bends in 30 yarder from right that PU Tribbert ducks to head away at 12 yards in middle of box preventing any TFC players getting to it.
40 min...TFC Giovinco at 30 yards in middle chips pass to charging TFC Morrow on left and he sends in cross from 15 yards into middle of box and PU Fabinho clears from 8 yards for cornerkick.
40 min...TFC Bradley cornerkick from left has goalie swat forward in crowd of players at 6 yards. TFC players take possession and TFC Zavaleta pops 22 yard header up middle that goalie catches.
41 min...PU Pontius in middle at 25 yards gives short pass to left for PU Barnetaa who shoots 22 yard shot that's wide right of post.
42 min...PU YELLOW card...Bedoya earns it at PU 28 yard line for knocking over TFC Giovinco.
42 min...TFC Giovinco 30 yard freekick hits chest in jumping player wall and deflects high over net for cornerkick.
43 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is partially cleared by sliding defender on left post. Giovinco recross from 25 yards on left end line has defender kick away at 5 yards in middle of box.
44 min...TFC YELLOW card...Altidore earns it for body checking PU Creavalle at PU 45 yard line.
45 min...TFC Zavaleta clears ball on edge of TFC box that PU Barnetta had sent forward from 35 yards on right.
46 min...half ends 8:29pm.

Halftime Entertainment: Tony from Pizza Pizza is here for the usual giveaway. No Nestle Drumsticks (I guess the sponsorship was only for the regular season). The band The Trews were on stage on the NorthWest patio out of sight to us but shown on the video board. They got about 12 minutes to entertain us. They will be at the Phoenix Theatre in Toronto on December 10th--that's MLS Cup Day). Some fans win tickets to see them. There's a BMO bank contest to put together a jigsaw puzzle together of BMO Mastercards with two teams of two.

2nd Half:...starts 8:44pm.
47 min...TFC Beitashour low cross in from 28 yards on right has retreating PU Fabinho at 10 yards kick behind end line.
47 min...TFC Jonathan Osorio GOAL...TFC Sebastian Giovinco cornerkick from right drops just outside 6 yard box. TFC Jozy Altidore and TFC Nick Hagglund duck to head ball and ball hits Hagglund on the chest and bounces over to open Osorio on left side of net and he blasts 5 yard shot over sliding goalie at 4 yards into left side of net past PU Warren Creavalle guarding left post. PU Fabinho was guarding right post.
50 min...TFC Bradley feeds pass up middle to TFC Giovinco on left and run to 20 yard line and rolls cross into box that defender clears at 15 yards in middle.
51 min...PU Bedoya cuts in from left and blasts 35 yard shot down middle well over net.
52 min...TFC Morrow long throw-in from 30 yard line on left downfield finds TFC Altidore at 5 yard line on left edge of box tap ball back to TFC Giovinco who shoots from 18 yards on left side of box deflect off PU Marquez at 12 yards on left and ball deflects wide left for cornerkick.
53 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is low and PU Rosenberry charges forward to clear at 10 yards on left.
54 min...TFC goalie is out to 30 yards in middle to clear through ball before PU Sapong can get to it.
55 min...PU Herbers run up right and cross from 25 yards is head high through box unplayed.
56 min...PU Fabinho cross from 30 yards on left has TFC Hagglund and PU player pop up header at 7 yards near right edge of 6 yard box. TFC Bradley clears but swings his arm back and hand hits PU Sapong in the face injurying him.
59 min...PU sub...Ilsinho replaces Herbers.
59 min...PU Fabinho at 40 yards on left passes forward to PU Pontius on left edge of box but TFC Zavaleta clears away ball.
60 min...PU Ilsinho dribbles near right end line and taps ball from 20 yards on right further wide for PU Rosenberry to cross from 28 yards on right high and over players in box and PU players can't pass any further than edge of box from left side.
61 min...PU Fabinho cross from 30 yards on left deflects off TFC Cooper at 28 yards and ball pops up and TFC goalie charges wide left to pick up bouncer at 6 yards to prevent cornerkick call.
62 min...TFC Altidore intercepts PU Rosenberry on left at 30 yard line and rush to middle and 15 yard shot is batted down in center of goal then picked up by goalie.
63 min...PU Ilsinho and PU Barnetta give and go ends up with Ilsinho in TFC box at 12 yards on far right and chips cross that has goalie dive forward to get hand to at 4 yards and TFC Beitashour dangerously clears from 6 yards through left side of box.
65 min...TFC sub...Johnson replaces Osorio.
66 min...PU Pontius shot from just outside edge of box blocked by TFC Zavaleta and ball deflects over to right and after another PU players blocked shot, PU Barnetta takes 15 yard shot that deflects off foot of another defender and goalie flies from right post towards center at 3 yards to catch ball.
69 min...TFC sub...Cheyrou replaces Cooper.
.........PU sub...Alberg replaces Sapong.
72 min...PU Alejandro Bedoya GOAL...PU Tranquilla Barnetta cornerkick from right has PU Ken Tribbett in middle head ball at 15 yards over to right where PU Ilsinho at 10 yards pops up header towards left and PU Richard Marquez at 8 yards in middle heads ball down for Bedoya to control bounce down off chest and 6 yard shot forward into top center of net over sliding goalie Clint Irwin.
74 min...PU Barnetta cornerkick from right has PU Bedoya at 8 yards in middle in crowd of player head ball wide left but play is whistled down.
76 min...PU Barnetta cross from 25 yards on far left is caught by goalie.
76 min...PU Alberg cross from 20 yards on right end line is through box unplayed.
78 min...TFC Bradley freekick from 50 yards on right is headed away in two moves by PU players just inside box.
79 min...TFC Bradley 40 yard freekick from right has defender partially stop with header on edge of box and PU Alberg clear from 10 yards with high kick at 15 yards in middle while facing PU goal.
80 min...PU Rosenberry run up right wing and low cross from 20 yards is trapped by goalie on right post.
81 min...PU Barnetta 40 yard freekick from left has ball fall into box and goalie dive to right post to push ball away. PU Ilsinho on right end line at 15 yards sends low cross that's smotherd by goalie on right post.
83 min...PU sub...Davies replaces Rosenberry.
83 min...TFC Giovinco cross from 25 yards on left has TFC Johnson jump for midair kick at 15 yards on right but can't fully connect and shot that bounces to goalie.
84 min...TFC Jozy Altidore GOAL...Altidore pushes aside PU player to take possession of bouncer at 70 yards in middle. He sends through ball pass to TFC Sebastian Giovinco at 40 yards who runs forward to edge of box. Giovinco turns and bends cross from 20 yards over to left where Altidore has now run. Altidore outjumps PU Alejandro Bedoya and heads ball down at 15 yards on left. PU Ken Tribbett gets foot to ball at 6 yards and ball flies up and hits him in face then deflects over to Altidore at 8 yards. Altidore shoots and ball deflects up off left of sliding Tribbett and pops over sprawling goalie into left side of net.
86 min...PU Creavalle cross from 30 yards on right misses two PU players jumping for ball at 12 yards in middle in crowd of players.
87 min...TFC sub...Ricketts replaces Altidore.
87 min...PU Pontius long throw-in from left is into box into crowd of players at 15 yards on left and ball popped up on header and TFC Zavaleta deflects it at 10 yards and TFC Johnson boots away clearance.
88 min...PU Barnetta 50 yard freekick from left has ball headed down at 8 yards but cleared.
89 min...TFC Johnson taps pass back to TFC Giovinco who crosses from 30 yards on right and PU Tribbett leaps to head away at 10 yards in middle to prevent open TFC Ricketts getting it on left side of box.
89 min....PU YELLOW card...Tribbett earns it for pulling down TFC Ricketts on run on left at PU 40 yard line.
90 min...TFC Cheyrou rolls freekick from 50 yards forward up left wing and TFC Giovinco at 20 yards on left edge of box runs forward to end line eluding a sliding defender and shot from 6 yards on end line has goalie on left post push ball forward. TFC Ricketts runs back to gain control at 18 yards in middle and taps back to TFC Bradley at 22 yards who crosses over to Giovinco but he's called offside.
91 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is short to TFC Cheyrou but defender clears.
92 min...PU Creavalle cross from 30 yards on right is into box and TFC player gets foot to at 12 yards in center to clear from box. PU player heads back in from 20 yards in middle over to right where PU Barnetta sends low cross from 15 yards along 6 yard line but TFC Moor clears to edge of box and TFC Cheyrou draws foul.
93 min...game ends 9:32pm.

Final Score:.......Toronto FC.........3...........Philadelphia Union............1.............

Before the game, the Nova Scotia band (although now based in Toronto) The Trews were playing just outside the stadium. It was announced they would continue playing at halftime. We could see them on the video board. There was an extended opening fireworks display.

Rules were announced before the game. 90 minutes would be played then if necessary two 15 minute overtime periods and if still tied they'd move in to Penalty kicks.

Instead of a fan from the crowd, tonight's game ball was delivered to the field by former TFC players Jim Brennan, Danny Dichio, and Dwayne DeRosario.

On getting to our seats there was a cardboard sign for each of us to hold up. 'Toronto 'til I Die' on a cartoon drum. My father passed away yesterday morning so I wasn't in the mood to hold it up. Not even knowing what day of the week this game would be played was upsetting.

There was no 'Man of the Match' announced but maybe they had no sponser for the playoffs. I'd have awarded it to Giovinco who scored the first goal and was dangerous all night.

Jonathan Osorio scored what turned out to be the winning goal for the second game in a row. On Sunday he scored the third goal which was one more than the Chicago Fire's comeback attempt that fell short.

Much more of the second half was played in the TFC end but that suits them fine for breakout counterattacks. Union has that same feature listed as one of their strongpoints.

Clint Irwin made a few key saves but was not particularily busy. A few after the first Union goal were crucial as Union was only one goal behind until the end.

TFC let Jozy Altidore play almost the entire game before subbing him for Tosaint Ricketts at 87 minutes. Sunday they made the switch at 60 minutes.

Union came into the game on a long winless skid and had fallen from first to sixth position which was the last playoff spot. They were winless in seven up to tonight. One more weekend and New England Revolution might have overtaken them.

It was announced that TFC would play New York City FC in the conference semi-final on Sunday but they didn't say what time. The time schedule will be the opposite of last week when all ten games started at 4:00pm for 'Decision Day' to make the games more meaningful. Sunday the four games will be spread out at two hour intervals. Ties are permitted in the first game of the conference semi-final because these are two game series. Still TSN in Canada won't broadcast all the games in their commitment to NFL football. I'd expect TFC will play in one of the early afternoon game which hopefully won't be as cold as tonight.

My feet didn't start to go numb until the game was almost over and I had a long walk to the streetcar stop.

The guy in the seat in front of me said before this game started it would be a 3-1 TFC victory. I din't see how Union would score when TFC pulled ahead 2-0. After 2-1 and time was running edown I felt like TFC would score the third goal.

Attendance was not announced but there were a lot of empty seats in the far corners. I can understand why as the date and time of the game was undecided even after the Sunday results were in. There was a chance TFC wouldn't have even played tonight if they'd finished first or second and earned a first round bye. That would have also meant that they would open the second round of the playoffs on the road rather than at home this weekend. So really only three days notice. Also a school night which limited the number of families here. Tickets to me a season ticket holder were rushed messaged to me to add to the 2017 ticket package but discounted for one-day. This was about a month ago so they had my money no matter when they'd play.

Our game let out at the same times as the Toronto Marlies game in the hockey arena also on these Exhibition grounds so we were competing with them to cram on to the streetcars. MLSE owns both team but there again is the unpredictability of MLS playoff games.

When the game ended we were rained on by ticker tape. I can only thing it was disbursed by it being dumped off the roof so there is a use for that thing as it doesn't stop real rain from soaking us in these few front rows.

Referee Baldomero Toledo who has a reputation as being card happy gave out only five Yellow cards (two to TFC) and no freekicks in super-dangerous positions within 25 yards of goal. Players weren't diving in the box looking for Penalty kicks so he had an easy game to handle.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
15'    TOR  Sebastian Giovinco          Assisted By: Jozy Altidore 
48'    TOR  Jonathan Osorio             Assisted By: Nick Hagglund, Sebastian Giovinco 
73'    PHI  Alejandro Bedoya            Assisted By: Richie Marquez, Ilsinho 
85'    TOR  Jozy Altidore 

Disciplinary
14'    TOR  Michael Bradley             Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
25'    PHI  C.J. Sapong                 Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
43'    PHI  Alejandro Bedoya            Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
45'+1' TOR  Jozy Altidore               Reason: Unsporting Behavior 
90'    PHI  Ken Tribbett                Reason: Unsporting Behavior 

Lineup

Toronto FC  
17 F Jozy Altidore     (88') 
10 F Sebastian Giovinco 
 1 G Clint Irwin 
15 D Eriq Zavaleta 
 3 D Drew Moor 
 6 D Nick Hagglund 
33 M Steven Beitashour 
31 M Armando Cooper    (70')
 4 M Michael Bradley 
21 M Jonathan Osorio   (66')
 2 M Justin Morrow 

Bench
25 G Alex Bono 
23 D Josh Williams 
28 D Mark Bloom 
 8 M Benoit Cheyrou    (70')
 7 M Will Johnson      (66')
18 M Marco Delgado 
87 F Tosaint Ricketts  (88') 

Manager  Greg Vanney  

Philadelphia Union 
17 F C.J. Sapong        (70')
 1 G Andre Blake 
12 D Keegan Rosenberry  (84')
 4 D Ken Tribbett 
16 D Richie Marquez 
33 D Fabinho 
11 M Alejandro Bedoya 
 2 M Warren Creavalle 
14 M Fabian Herbers     (59')
10 M Tranquillo Barnetta 
13 M Chris Pontius 

Bench
27 G John McCarthy 
 9 D Charlie Davies     (84')
28 D Raymon Gaddis 
26 D Auston Trusty 
 7 M Brian Carroll 
25 M Ilsinho            (59') 
 6 F Roland Alberg      (70')

Manager  Jim Curtin 

Officials
Referee  Baldomero Toledo 
Assistant Referee  Charles Morgante 
Assistant Referee  Ian Anderson 
Fourth Official  Silviu Petrescu 

Match Information
MLS Playoffs at BMO Field
Toronto, ON
Attendance 21759
Weather Partly Cloudy
 
Team Statistics

TOR                          PHI 
 14     Shots                  8 
  6     Shots on Target        3 
  5     Shots off Target       2 
  3     Blocked Shots          3 
  8     Corners                4 
 17     Crosses               22 
  2     Offsides               0 
  9     Fouls                 16 
  2     Yellow Cards           3 
  0     Red Cards              0 
349     Total Passes         484 
 68 %   Passing Accuracy      75 % 
 42.1 % Possession            57.9 % 
 66     Duels Won             51 
 13     Tackles Won           16 
  2     Saves                  3 
 31     Clearances            19

Toronto FC starters