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Chivas USA topples patch-work Toronto FC

Danielpaladini_ap

When Tyler Rosenlund found the net for his first career goal, Toronto FC looked well on its way to the most improbable victory in TFC’s brief history.

Then reality set in.

Playing with three players signed just for the match, Toronto couldn’t overcome the absence of eight starters to international duty. Their improbably 1-0 lead disappeared just 11 minutes later as Daniel Paladani scored the first of three Chivas USA goals as the Goats left Toronto with a 3-1 win.

TFC chief scout Tim Regan, Toronto Lynx defender Ricky Titus and Diaz Kambere all stepped into the Toronto lineup and tried their best, but this edition of Pros vs. Joes always seemed destined to go in favor of Chivas USA.

What did you think of the match? Was it what you expected? Did any of the fill-ins impress you? Still scratching your head at Toronto FC having to play the match?

Share your thoughts below

Comments

  1. Sweden (Allsvenskan) – Start in March, end in October – abide by the Fifa calendar.

    Russia (Russian Premier League) – Start in March, end in November – abide by the Fifa calendar.

    The excuse that they can’t do it in a summer league context is horseshit. The excuse that they can’t reschedule because of broadcasting and the fact teams don’t own their stadia only arises AFTER they ignore the FIFA calendar.

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  2. I heard on Espn Deportes Radio the League met due to the fact toronto was decimated by missing player call ups. And toronto raising a rukus about this. who knows maybe the league will finally take international breaks, and not play during times Like the world cup.

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  3. My thoughts exactly. Johnston knew exactly what he was getting when he loaded up with the likes of Guevara, Ruiz, Marshall, Robinson etc… That said the first half was the best soccer I have watched (save for the All Star Game) down at BMO in months. Ricky Titus and Tim Regan showed their experience with fantastic performances – with Carver playing an absurd 3 man back line for most of the game.

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  4. Sure there were a lot of players missing but you know what? Mo Johnston knew he’d be missing those 9 players months in advance when the WCQ schedules were released. Did he plan ahead and stock up on players during the transfer window? No. We regulary play games with only 4 subs on the bench. Why can’t TFC just sign a full roster. If they had a full roster then there wouldn’t be a problem with fielding 3 defenders that hadn’t stepped on a pitch together until Friday practice.

    Mo Johnston is to blame for this and on Saturday I’ll be chanting for him to be fired. Too bad TFC didn’t get Frank Yallop to coach and scout players. But that would be to obvious as he’s Canadian.

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  5. It was pretty stupid. It wasn’t just that they had 9 players on international duty. They had 3 others injured, not to mention they played Dichio (who had played 12 minutes in the past 8 games due to concussions) and Barrett (who seems to cramp up around 70-75min) for the full game. Of course, there was Velez’s sending off, at the half, so they were missing 12.5 players.

    And rumour has it they’ll be shorthanded for the next game against Dallas too. I don’t know much about that, I know there are national team games on Wednesday, with TFC playing Saturday. I’m sure some players would be exhausted, but I’d think they’d get a few back.

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  6. Thanks martha, ill be sure to tell our one day loan players from the USL and PDL that.

    also our scout who played as a defender.

    You are literate right?

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  7. Barrett missed an open shot?

    Being from Chicago I find that hard to believe.

    Pretty strange Toronto were missing so many players. Guess theres a downside to the exemptions Toronto gets.

    3-1 loss at home is embarrassing no matter how you cut it.

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  8. Be nice gents we tried our best out there. We outshot Chivas and had better chances to finish as well. I think we could’ve pulled one off had we finished our chances in the first half alone. The full line-up didn’t beat Chivas either, so I don’t see how this game was such a disappointment because we fought hard and should’ve come away with a result.

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  9. If American soccer fans are “Reasonable”, Dan, then theyll have no problem going to a midweek evening game and postponing international conflict games like this. Most foreign leagues of MLS level allow for automatic postponement on just THREE international absences. TFC was missing nine to internationals and three to injury, and started a 23-year old USL bench player, a head scout and a 39-year old on defense, for cryin’ out loud.

    Instead of simplistic defences of MLS shortcomings everyone knows by now exist, let’s just hope that over the next year, league rule changes and a solid CBA bring:

    * 25 man rosters

    * A salary cap increase of $500,000 to $1 million a team, with more spending flexibility and incentives to take on youth players.

    * Postponements when a majority of first teamers are missing to international duty.

    * An end to the ridiculous player “discovery” system.

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  10. I think I and most reasonable American soccer fans will pass on winter competition over here. Every team in the league knows that this can happen. With the long season and playoffs, the best teams rise to the top eventually.

    And yes, there will be fewer conflicts over time. More teams having flexibility for home dates will help and this is slowly but surely happening. FSC and ESPN’s television commitments still have to be met, but patience is a virtue!

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  11. Who cares if the season runs into the winter? So instead of the usual 5 thousand and 9 thousand people New York and New England draw they’ll get 3 and 4 thousand? Sounds like a good trade-off to me. Taking breaks would be better for the integrity of the product on the field.

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  12. Ives, I like how you failed to mention who even scored for Chivas.

    Jonathan Bornstein scored the 2nd goal and Ante Razov put in the 3rd.

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  13. Toronto (one of them Barrett) missed a couple great chances to score in the first half, I also saw a penalty not being called against Chivas before their 1st goal and then Velez got himself ejected on the last play of the first half (what an idiot!). Perhaps the result would have been different. Toronto’s great fans deserved better.

    Actually, I think MLS should have postponed the game.

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  14. Owned the first 35 minutes, pretty much downhill from there. Could be more articulate but gotta shower and watch Canada play Honduras. Up the Reds. We love you even if the league is sh it.

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