Toronto Win Prevents the Red Bulls from Clinching a Play-Off Spot

Marvell Wynne and Maurice Edu celebrate after a Toronto FC goal.

Toronto FC 2 - 1 New York Red Bulls .
This game started slow but picked up in the second half when two players were ejected.

The first half was mostly filled with inept, boring play. Both sides seemed to have trouble staying organized and completing passes let alone mounting pressure and establishing quality scoring chances. The Toronto FC goal in the first half was a brief respite from the drudgery. Marvell Wynne slotted a nice pass forward to Maurice Edu (18') who received the ball in stride and behind the Red Bull defenders. Edu went in on the goalkeeper and his shot ended up in the back of the net. Toronto FC ended the last twenty minutes or so of the first half playing like they were hanging on for the win at the end of a game.

Throughout the first half, play was very contentious. It is obvious that these two sides do not like each other. In the second half, both teams played better but the yellow cards continued to be shown. In the sixty-fourth minute Red Bulls midfielder Joe Vide earned his second yellow card of the match and was ejected. Toronto FC wasted no time with the man advantage and scored two minutes later. It was an own goal by New York defender Chris Leitch (og 66') but I am sure Jeff Cunningham would have knocked the ball into the net if Leitch had missed the ball. Then a minute later Toronto defender Andrew Boyens was ejected on a straight red card. It was a real stupid foul, he wound up his leg and kicked at the Red Bull player and never came near the ball.

The Red Bulls made the last 15 minutes of the game a bit more exciting by scoring their first and only goal of the match. Dave van den Bergh took a corner kick for the Red Bulls and sent in a decent cross for New York. Dane Richards (75') was left unmarked and he headed the ball into the back of the net to pull the Red Bulls with in a goal of Toronto. However that was the last goal of the night and the score ended 2-1 in favor of Toronto FC.

Where was Juan Pablo Angel, the Red Bulls forward and second leading goal scorer in MLS? He had few scoring opportunities and was rarely around the ball. I am not sure if this was because of lackluster play on his part or not. The Red Bulls seemed to possess the ball a lot and play a good bit of the time in the Toronto FC defensive zone so maybe the Toronto defense was able to shut him down for the match.

This loss prevented the Red Bulls from securing a play-off berth but they should still be able to make the post season. Toronto FC, in their first season in MLS, will most likely be left out of the play-offs.

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Next Thursday Night Game Oct. 11, 2007 FC Dallas v Chivas USA 9:00pm ESPN 2

Cross posted to the I Write Sports blog.

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MLS Preview: Toronto FC v New York Red Bulls

Michael Sautter

Thu Oct 4

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