Played
March 31, 2012 2:08 PM EDT
BMO Field — Toronto, Ontario
Referee: G. Gamble
Attendance: 18944
March 31, 2012 2:08 PM EDT
BMO Field — Toronto, Ontario
Referee: G. Gamble
Attendance: 18944
MLS Preview: Toronto FC - Columbus Crew
Toronto FC will look to get its MLS campaign on track with a result at home in the Trillium Cup against the Crew, who Toronto only beat for the first time at the end of 2011.
By Nick Rosano
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
| Toronto (4-3-3): Kocic; Eckersley, Aceval, Harden, Morgan; De Guzman, Dunfield, Soolsma; Plata, Koevermans, Lambe. |
|
OUT: FW Nicholas Lindsay (L knee surgery recovery); DF Dicoy Williams (R knee surgery recovery); DF Jeremy Hall (sports hernia surgery recovery); MF Torsten Frings (R hamstring strain); GK Stefan Frei (L lower leg)
QUESTIONABLE: DF Adrian Cann (R knee surgery recovery)
| Columbus (4-1-3-2): Gruenebaum; Miranda, Marshall, O'Rourke, Francis; Urso; Gaven, Mirosevic, Anor; Vargas, Renteria |
|
OUT: OUT: FW Ben Speas (sports hernia rehab); DF Rich Balchan (sports hernia rehab); DF Julius James (R shoulder surgery rehab); FW Tommy Heinemann (L knee internal injury)
DOUBTFUL: DF Carlos Mendes (R hamstring strain)
QUESTIONABLE: MF Dilly Duka (R hamstring strain)
| |
DID YOU KNOW? |
- Though Toronto has yet to lose in three CONCACAF Champions League games this year (it drew 1-1 at home against Santos Laguna on Wednesday), it has endured a miserable start to its MLS campaign. The Reds most recently lost 3-0 at home to San Jose, and have conceded six goals in their first two games.
- It took Toronto 13 tries to record a win against the Crew, and Canada's first MLS side finally scored a first victory in the Trillium Cup when it defeated its fierce rival 4-2 in September 2011. Now the Reds will look to improve upon their 1-5-7 record against Columbus. Five of the seven draws have come in Toronto.
- Columbus secured its first win of the season last week, defeating Montreal 2-0 at home. Milovan Mirosevic scored from the penalty spot, and Olman Vargas added a second. However, the game was marred by a series of controversial refereeing decisions from Mark Geiger.
- Crew head coach Robert Warzycha has asked Mirosevic – one of the team's key signings in the offseason – to sit a little deeper than usual. Commenting on the slight change in position after the win against Montreal, Mirosevic said, "In this system, I prefer to play (in central midfield) instead of playing on the line, like Bernardo (Añor). In this system, if we change it, maybe I would like to play a little bit higher, but I felt comfortable today."
- Toronto will still be without influential midfielder Torsten Frings, who will have to wait a few more weeks before making his return. Julian De Guzman proved he was up to the task of replacing Frings, though, with an influential performance in the game against Santos Laguna.
- Will Hesmer has been the Crew's longtime first-choice keeper, but in 2012, Andy Gruenebaum has been the preferred choice in goal, and it looks set to stay that way after he kept a clean sheet against Montreal.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Toronto FC 2-1 Columbus Crew
- 22.22 %
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Toronto FC 0-2 Columbus Crew
- 22.22 %
-
Toronto FC 2-0 Columbus Crew
- 11.11 %
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | May 18, 2013 | Toronto FC 0 - Columbus Crew 1 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Oct 28, 2012 | Columbus Crew 2 - Toronto FC 1 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Aug 22, 2012 | Columbus Crew 2 - Toronto FC 1 |
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| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Mar 31, 2012 | Toronto FC 0 - Columbus Crew 1 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Sep 10, 2011 | Columbus Crew 2 - Toronto FC 4 |
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Toronto FC
  |
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| May 18, 2013 | Toronto FC 0 - Columbus Crew 1 | MLS |
| May 8, 2013 | San Jose Earthquakes 2 - Toronto FC 1 | MLS |
| May 4, 2013 | Colorado Rapids 1 - Toronto FC 0 | MLS |
| May 1, 2013 | Montreal Impact 6 - Toronto FC 0 | NCC |
| Apr 27, 2013 | Toronto FC 1 - New York Red Bulls 2 | MLS |
Columbus Crew
  |
||
| May 18, 2013 | Toronto FC 0 - Columbus Crew 1 | MLS |
| May 11, 2013 | Columbus Crew 0 - Colorado Rapids 2 | MLS |
| May 4, 2013 | Columbus Crew 0 - New York Red Bulls 1 | MLS |
| Apr 27, 2013 | Columbus Crew 3 - D.C. United 0 | MLS |
| Apr 20, 2013 | Chicago Fire 1 - Columbus Crew 0 | MLS |
| - | Milos Kocic | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Logan Emory | Defender |
| 5 | Ashtone Morgan | Defender |
| - | Ty Harden | Defender |
| 27 | Richard Eckersley | Defender |
| - | Julian De Guzman | Defender |
| 23 | Terry Dunfield | Midfielder |
| 7 | Joao Plata | Striker |
| - | Ryan Johnson | Striker |
| 14 | Danny Koevermans | Striker |
| - | Nick Soolsma | Striker |
| - | Brian Rowe | Goalkeeper |
| - | Adrian Cann | Defender |
| - | Aaron Maund | Defender |
| - | Eric Avila | Midfielder |
| 11 | Luis Silva | Midfielder |
| - | J. Burgos | Midfielder |
| 30 | Andy Gruenebaum | Goalkeeper |
| 14 | Chad Marshall | Defender |
| - | Sebastián Miranda | Defender |
| 29 | Shaun Francis | Defender |
| - | Eric Gehrig | Midfielder |
| 7 | Bernardo Anor | Midfielder |
| 10 | Milovan Mirosevic | Midfielder |
| - | Kirk Urso | Midfielder |
| 12 | Eddie Gaven | Midfielder |
| 20 | E. Rentería | Striker |
| - | O. Vargas | Striker |
| 1 | Will Hesmer | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Josh Williams | Defender |
| - | Nemanja Vukovic | Defender |
| 23 | Tony Tchani | Midfielder |
| - | Ethan Finlay | |
| - | Nicholas Grossman | |
| 34 | Aaron Schoenfeld | Striker |
Results
Times In EST
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jack McInerney Striker Philadelphia Union |
8 | 0 |
|
Mike Magee Midfielder LA Galaxy |
6 | 1 |
|
Claudio Bieler Striker Sporting KC |
6 | 1 |
|
Marco Di Vaio Striker Montreal Impact |
6 | 0 |
|
Robert Earnshaw Striker Toronto FC |
5 | 2 |
