By KURTIS LARSON
TORONTO — Toronto FC overcame terrible weather conditions that may have been the worst ever seen at BMO Field to record a surprising 4-1 victory against the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
TFC forward Chad Barrett punished his former team, scoring two goals to help Toronto improve to 3-4 and move into third place in the East. Chicago dropped to 2-3-2 and continue to struggle finding their footing under new coach Carlos de los Cobos.
Steady rain with gusts blowing at 40 mph were a recipe for disaster in the opening stages. Both teams proceeded with shaky starts with poor touches and balls skipping out of play frequently. Toronto FC attempted long, hopeful balls over the top while Chicago were never really in sync from the outset.
With a massive wind at their backs, Toronto FC were the first to settle down and look dangerous on the attack. In the 23rd minute, a long ball from TFC's back four skipped through to an onrushing Dwayne De Rosario whose shot was blocked over the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick was cleared to a waiting Julian De Guzman, who sent it wide to Nick LaBrocca. The winger one timed a wind-aided cross that wrong footed Andrew Dykstra and dipped just beneath the crossbar for a 1-0 TFC lead.
Chicago's creative tandem of Marco Pappa and Patrick Nyarko saw little of the ball as the weather seemed to negate their consistent and creative play. Pappa did get Chicago's best first-half chance in the 32nd minute after TFC were whistled for a foul near the corner of the box. The Guatemalan lashed a swerving, knee-high cross into the six-yard-box that called for a reflex save from Toronto FC's Stefan Frei. It would be Chicago's only real scoring opportunity heading into the half.
The Fire's Carlos de los Cobos would switch his formation heading into the second half to a 4-4-2 from a 4-5-1 bringing on Collins John to spark the Fire's offense. However, TFC's Preki would make changes of his own in advance of the second half altering his formation by bringing on an extra forward. His decision to bring on O'Brian White paid dividends right out of the gates as White scored from inside the six yard box in the 47th minute. After receiving a ball from Barrett on the wing, White turned and played it to the opposite side for a streaking De Rosario, who slotted it back across for White's second tally of the year.
Chicago didn't wait long to answer though as midfielder Logan Pause unleashed a rifle from close to 30 yards out that caught hold of the wind and swerved over the top of an outstretched Stefan Frei. The wonder strike silenced the Toronto faithful that saw their lead cut in half in the 51st minute giving the Fire confidence that they could get a point or more out of the contest.
Pause's strike didn't faze Toronto however who continued to handle the conditions much better than their counterparts. In the 66th minute TFC's White beat the Fire's Wilman Conde to a ball, pushing it around the veteran defender for a two-on-one break. White picked out Barrett in the box who calmly slotted it past a helpless Dykstra extending the lead once again to 3-1.
Just three minutes after his first of the year, Barrett scored his second of the game when De Rosario took a ball off his chest before slotting a pass that split Chicago's back four. Barrett ran onto the pass and chipped the ball over the Chicago keeper making it 4-1 and ensuring an important three points for the home side.
Toronto FC remain perfect at home and play their next four out of five games away from BMO. The Fire has a somewhat odd schedule over the next few weeks playing mid-season friendlies before returning to MLS action with three straight home games.
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Here are the match highlights:
Kudos to TFC fans for braving the weather.
HAHAHA. Could you imagine? going from one mediocre national team to another mediocre national team
Canada better cap him before Jamaica does…
O’Brien White is a monster, this kid is gonna be really strong this year.
we looked terrible.
Dykstra is horrible, but I wouldn’t really blame him for any of the goals in this game. Brown’s slow and has always been a kick-the-ball-as-hard-as-i-can defender, but he’s actually looked good this season compared to the guys around him. Even Conde has been incredibly erratic, being caught completely out of position many times and often lacking concentration. I dunno what’s going on…
If Busch was still in goal with us. The score would have been 4-1.
The defense was the worst I have ever seen it.
The whole team should be embarrassed by that showing.
Is there any doubt TFC will make the playoffs now? Yes…
I’d say you need 7 points, anything less than 6 would should be considered a major disappointment though.
I would hope so facing the woeful: Dallas, Philly & Colorado but I’ve yet to see anything consistent this year that gives me hope.
If this team wants to contend, anything less than 9 points against those three Clubs would be a direct reflection of how average this team has become under the current Manager and FO-moves.
Keeper wasn’t an issue after the first goal. Chicago just looked like they didn’t want to be there. They will get back on track with the three game home stand.
When Chicago Manager/FO hedge your bets on an unproven 24 year old keeper with questionable potential, these results are to be expected.
TFC, despite the weather, was clearly the better side and Frei made some fantastic saves.
I’ll continue to say it, CJ Brown is a liability on the back line and provides no service to it’s midfielders far too routinely just kicking the ball high in the air.
Brown has been a good servant of the game with our Club but his legs and athletic ability are in a rapid decline and combining that with an inexperienced keeper will continue to make this a long season.
I’d much rather see Watson-Siriboe cut his teeth and have Conde compensate for his inexperience, the same way he compensates for Brown’s lack of pace.
Also, Corben Bone looked nervous and at times out of place but he showed some nice ability. Looking forward to him getting some more minutes this season.
Quick TFC trade Barret before he misses his next 20 shots.
Nyarko’s a plus but right now the Fire are a complete mess. I smell another coaching change.
… Chicago, NY, NE.
Wind gusts were definitely as high as 60-70mph at times…Looked like tropical storm force winds! Can TFC get a result on the road though!?!
Get a clue. The weather in Toronto is about the same as in Toronto, NY, NE.
I guess you missed TFC’s speed and passing game in the second half. Dero running Chicago ragged, slicing up the defense with a long range pass, Barrett and White outrunning slow defenders like Conde and passes with abandon in the 6 yard box.
Are you saying Toronto FC punt-and-run-and-hope-DeRo-saves-our-arse isn’t uglier than Chicago’s speed and passing game? What’s your point here, bud?
Toronto weather isnt awful. Today is a much better day in Toronto, just so happened that this match fell on the wrong day. I have never experienced weather like that in the few years I have lived here.
Sucks for whoever makes it to mls cup finals this year.. Toronto weather is just awful.
Plays uglier? are you nuts?
Inclement weather rewards the team which plays uglier. I’ll take the lumps.
Dude, 70 Km/h, not 70 mph.
Amazing game for TFC…totally controlled play…Chicago is soft and couldn’t handle the weather.