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Posted by
Steve Bottjer,
July 28, 2012
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Toronto FC 0 – 2 Houston Dynamo
The Prelude to Battle
After some much needed time off, Toronto FC were back in action today for a home fixture against the Houston Dynamo at BMO Field. Likely buoyed by the first appearance of new Designated Player striker Eric Hassli at BMO Field, the Reds likely went into this one feeling confident. Toronto entered play on one of the better runs of form that they have endured in recent memory, coming into this game on a three game winning streak.
That said, Houston came into this fixture as one of the hottest teams in the MLS. Toronto has overcome many obstacles in an impressive fashion in recent weeks, but they were clearly going to have their hands full against Dominic Kinner’s squad. Defeating a quality team like the Dynamo, who are currently at the height of their powers, would clearly send a clear single to the BMO Field faithful that their club had indeed turned a corner under Head Coach Paul Mariner.
Related: Hassli excited to be part of a new era at TFC
As has been the case in his tenure to date, Paul Mariner went with pretty much the lineup that has become standard in recent weeks, with only once change to his starting eleven. Recently signed striker Quincy Amarikwa got his first start with his new club in place of midfielder Eric Avila.
The Opening Forty-Five
The first half kicked off with Houston looking confident and intent on earning a result away from home, with very quick striker Macoumba Kandji looking dangerous right from the get go.
Kandji had the first scoring chance of the match in the 3rd minute when he looked to be in alone on Milos Kocic. However, TFC defender Richard Eckersley showed some impressive pace of his own to cut across the Toronto box and snuff out the danger.
Toronto showed off some very slick passing in the 26th minute but Houston defender Bobby Boswell made an authoritative clearance just before Terry Dunfield could finish the play and get a shot off at the top of the Dynamo box.
TFC had a decent scoring chance in the 31st minute when Torsten Frings picked out Doneil Henry with a corner kick, with the young right back’s header going directly into the arms of a perfectly positioned Tally Hall.
Kandji delivered a tricky shot from distance in the 42nd minute but Kocic got down low and showed sure hands in making a difficult save look pedestrian.
Houston opened the scoring just before the half time break on a corner kick in which a completely unmarked Calen Carr headed one in at the far post, as a solid half of play by TFC was undone by a glaring defensive breakdown in the final minute of the half.
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Disappointing and uninspired from #TFC today. When can Hassli play? We had nothin' up front today.
- @WakingtheRed |
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The Second Half
As Toronto tried to work their way back into the game in the second half, Houston managed the game well, defending ably as a team and moving the ball patiently to create offensive opportunities for themselves.
In the 58th minute, Houston Designated Player Boniek Garcia showed some nice footwork to open up space for himself to unleash a shot that worried Kocic but that ultimately sailed a few inches wide of the post.
The Reds came had several decent opportunities on dead ball situations to endeavour to engineer a tying goal, but Houston was eminently organized and shut down all chances before they really materialized.
Houston put the game away in the 86th minute when Brad Davis set up Brian Ching on another play in which the TFC defence was slow to mark a Houston attacker.
Post-Match Reaction
Following the game, Toronto FC Head Coach Paul Mariner admitted Houston was deserving of the three points and that Toronto was undone by its own poor defending.
“I think that Houston were a much better side today. Obviously a massive turning point today was the last kick of the first half. It took the wind out of us a little bit. I was hoping to get in at zero zero but that wasn’t the case. We just didn’t seem to have any energy today. Houston was very well organized and they played better than we did and deserved the win today,” said Mariner.
TFC forward Ryan Johnson stated after the match that the players had to take full responsibility for the defeat.
“It’s on us as players. Whatever you have to individually, you have to do whatever you have to do to be ready for the game and it’s your job and if you don’t do your job someone else is going to do it for you. So that’s what we need to learn as players here and if we don’t learn that there will be new players here. It’s that simple. We have to be more accountable ourselves and look to ourselves the next game to give everyone something to cheer for. Today they didn’t get something to cheer for,” said Johnson.
Toronto midfielder Terry Dunfield admitted that Houston deserved the one, but also expressed his belief that TFC should not get too down on themselves after one defeat, especially considering the excellent run of form that the Reds have been on.
“I think Houston deserves a lot of credit. They came here with a game plan and they were solid. We knew they would be dangerous on set pieces and we couldn’t cope with that. I think the first half was quite equal other than conceding before half time. I think that it is important that we remember we are on a good run right now and hopefully this is just a one off so we can brush it aside and put it behind us as quickly as we can and move forward,” said Dunfield.
The Final Word: TFC still in serious need of a back line general
TFC gave it the old college try in this one, but were undone by defensive mistakes against a very professional Houston side that always seems to make their opponents pay in such situations. The difference between the two sides was not much in terms of athleticism and talent, but the Dynamo were clearly superior in terms of their cohesiveness, experience and overall tactics and proved a prime example of what Toronto could become under Paul Mariner.
The absence of Danny Koevermans was noticeably felt as Toronto did not generate much offensively. At the same time, you have to give Houston credit for the tidy manner in which they defended and the opportunistic way in which they converted the chances that Toronto gave them. Houston’s positioning was superb and very much illustrated the type of complete and mature level of play that Toronto would be wise to emulate as they work towards becoming a more consistent MLS club.
Striker Eric Hassli was officially unveiled as a member of Toronto FC at a press conference prior to the game and it is clear that he is a fundamental acquisition towards any success that TFC will enjoy in the remainder of the 2012 campaign. That said, for all of the recent strides made by the central defense tandem of Richard Eckersly and Logan Emory, this match only highlighted the fact that Toronto is still in serious need of a back line general. The defensive breakdown that allowed Houston to score in the first half was glaring and highlighted the fact that no one is leading with any real authority on TFC’s young back line. It’s an obvious overstatement, but it really felt like there was no one within a hundred miles of Calen Carr when he headed one in right before the half-time whistle. Not surprisingly, Paul Mariner admitted after the game that TFC is still actively searching for defensive reinforcements and even stated that he hoped to announce a player acquisition over the course of the weekend.
Even taking into account the defensive issues on the back line in this game, the clear man of the match for Toronto was defender Richard Eckersley. His pace and ability to shut down the runs of the Dynamo was impressive and provides the TFC faithful with their few opportunities to cheer and get excited at this game. He undoubtedly has a place on the TFC back line going forward and is player who can bring a lot of positives to any game, but the 23 year old also should not be the player leading the back four either. Logan Emory, Ashtone Morgan and Doneil Henry also have important roles to play on this time, but this match more than anything highlighted the fact Toronto FC is incomplete without a veteran defensive leader to shepherd all of the talented and athletic young defenders on the team.
TFC Line-up First Half
30 Kocic
4 Henry
27 Eckersley
2 Emory
5 Morgan
22 Frings
9 Lambe
11 Silva
23 Dunfield
9 Johnson
18 Amarikwa
Substitutions: (62) Wiedeman in for Amarikwa; (83) Hall in for Henry; (84) Maund in for Emory.
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