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Toronto FC Take Down Chivas USA For First Loss
There are no unbeaten teams left in the Western Conference after Chivas USA fell to Toronto FC and a goal by the former Chivas USA player, Amado Guevara.
Apr 23, 2009 12:11:39 AM
By Talha Zaheer
Toronto FC recorded their first home win of the season and their first-ever points against Chivas USA. In doing so, they also inflicted a first league defeat on the Western Conference leaders. This was TFC's first clean sheet of the season as they bested the league leaders 1-0 at BMO field.
First Half:
Toronto began the game with a whole host of changes from the last match: Danny Dichio, Pablo Vitti and Marco Velez started at the expense of Fuad Ibrahim, Kevin Harmse and the injured Dwayne De Rosario. The most profound change, however, was on the touchline where assistant coach Chris Cummins presided over proceedings as head coach John Carver sat this game out for unknown reasons.
Chivas USA made just one change to the side that conquered the Seattle Sounders on the weekend: former TFC midfielder Paulo Nagamura coming in for Atiba Harris. The Red-and-White came into this game top of the heap in MLS and had never conceded a point to Toronto. They were expected to run a recently lackluster Toronto side ragged.
TFC players had other ideas and despite a new formation that accommodated the attacking triumvirate of Chad Barrett, Vitti and Dichio, they adapted well. After some shaky moments at the start, TFC stamped their authority on this game. They should have been awarded a penalty kick early on when Dichio was felled in the penalty box, but referee Ricardo Salazar made his first of a plethora of inept calls. Carver had already been fined for criticizing the referee after last week's game and had Toronto not eventually translated their superiority into a deserved goal, Cummins would have been an aggrieved man as well.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute as man of the moment Amado Guevara managed to evade desperate challenges from Trujillo and Talley to finish calmly past hapless Chivas goalkeeper Zack Thornton. It was great pressure on the part of much-maligned Chad Barrett that forced a hurried clearance from Shavar Thomas. The ball looped onto the head of Dichio, who headed the ball into the path of Guevara. The wily midfielder controlled the ball brilliantly on his chest, somewhat fortuitously evaded the shackles of his markers and scored to put TFC up 1-nil.
Despite some enterprising play from Lillingston and Eskandarian, Chivas were easily second-best. Toronto went into the break deservedly in front and cruising.
Second Half:
Chivas USA head coach Preki introduced last week's supersub goalscorer Chukwudi Chijindu at the start of the second half. Lillingston, who had arguably been the visitors' most impressive performer, was taken off. The change, however, failed to invigorate Chivas USA as Toronto continued to dominate. A slew of TFC corners early in the second half underlined TFC's superiority.
Eskandarian was getting frustrated and earned a yellow for a late challenge on Marvel Wynne. Preki replaced him with Lahoud soon after. TFC looked comfortable and in control of proceedings even when Chivas USA strung some impressive passes together. The solid central defensive pairing of Adrian Serioux and Marco Velez confined goalkeeper Stefan Frei to the role of a spectator: his only save of the game came courtesy a header from a Chivas free kick late in the first half.
Toronto nearly went two goals ahead when a Guevara freekick found the head of Dichio, but Thornton was alert to the danger and managed to parry the ball out for a corner. Guevara was enjoying the free creative role that Sam Cronin and Carl Robinson provided him and had it not been for the countless offside flags raised against Chad Barrett, he would have notched up a couple of assists as well.
It was only in the final ten minutes that Chivas enjoyed a decent spell of possession in the home side's half. Toronto's notorious habit of conceding late goals seemed to give the guests hope of a late comeback, but despite some shaky moments Toronto managed to hang on for what Cummins claimed was a "thoroughly deserved win" and that he was "chuffed with the 3 points".
Match winner Guevara was stretchered off at the end of the game in considerable pain, however Cummins alleviated any concerns by claiming his star man had merely "cramped up". This was the most impressive Toronto FC performance of the season thus far. TFC were "superb from the first minute to the last minute" according to Carl Robinson. Man of the Match Barrett agreed and felt "Everybody in the team stepped up".
Chivas may have been experiencing fatigue on their first trip east and Preki will have to lift his troops after his side were dominated all over the pitch. His side is heading into a tricky run of fixtures and he will need better from his players if Chivas are to remain atop the standings for much longer.
Toronto FC have a stretch of home games coming up, starting with a weekend clash with Kansas City, who TFC vanquished earlier on the road in their season opener.
Talha Zaheer is the Toronto Goal.com contributor
Follow all the MLS action in Goal.com's league section!
Toronto FC recorded their first home win of the season and their first-ever points against Chivas USA. In doing so, they also inflicted a first league defeat on the Western Conference leaders. This was TFC's first clean sheet of the season as they bested the league leaders 1-0 at BMO field.
First Half:
Toronto began the game with a whole host of changes from the last match: Danny Dichio, Pablo Vitti and Marco Velez started at the expense of Fuad Ibrahim, Kevin Harmse and the injured Dwayne De Rosario. The most profound change, however, was on the touchline where assistant coach Chris Cummins presided over proceedings as head coach John Carver sat this game out for unknown reasons.
Chivas USA made just one change to the side that conquered the Seattle Sounders on the weekend: former TFC midfielder Paulo Nagamura coming in for Atiba Harris. The Red-and-White came into this game top of the heap in MLS and had never conceded a point to Toronto. They were expected to run a recently lackluster Toronto side ragged.
TFC players had other ideas and despite a new formation that accommodated the attacking triumvirate of Chad Barrett, Vitti and Dichio, they adapted well. After some shaky moments at the start, TFC stamped their authority on this game. They should have been awarded a penalty kick early on when Dichio was felled in the penalty box, but referee Ricardo Salazar made his first of a plethora of inept calls. Carver had already been fined for criticizing the referee after last week's game and had Toronto not eventually translated their superiority into a deserved goal, Cummins would have been an aggrieved man as well.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute as man of the moment Amado Guevara managed to evade desperate challenges from Trujillo and Talley to finish calmly past hapless Chivas goalkeeper Zack Thornton. It was great pressure on the part of much-maligned Chad Barrett that forced a hurried clearance from Shavar Thomas. The ball looped onto the head of Dichio, who headed the ball into the path of Guevara. The wily midfielder controlled the ball brilliantly on his chest, somewhat fortuitously evaded the shackles of his markers and scored to put TFC up 1-nil.
Despite some enterprising play from Lillingston and Eskandarian, Chivas were easily second-best. Toronto went into the break deservedly in front and cruising.
Second Half:
Chivas USA head coach Preki introduced last week's supersub goalscorer Chukwudi Chijindu at the start of the second half. Lillingston, who had arguably been the visitors' most impressive performer, was taken off. The change, however, failed to invigorate Chivas USA as Toronto continued to dominate. A slew of TFC corners early in the second half underlined TFC's superiority.
Eskandarian was getting frustrated and earned a yellow for a late challenge on Marvel Wynne. Preki replaced him with Lahoud soon after. TFC looked comfortable and in control of proceedings even when Chivas USA strung some impressive passes together. The solid central defensive pairing of Adrian Serioux and Marco Velez confined goalkeeper Stefan Frei to the role of a spectator: his only save of the game came courtesy a header from a Chivas free kick late in the first half.
Toronto nearly went two goals ahead when a Guevara freekick found the head of Dichio, but Thornton was alert to the danger and managed to parry the ball out for a corner. Guevara was enjoying the free creative role that Sam Cronin and Carl Robinson provided him and had it not been for the countless offside flags raised against Chad Barrett, he would have notched up a couple of assists as well.
It was only in the final ten minutes that Chivas enjoyed a decent spell of possession in the home side's half. Toronto's notorious habit of conceding late goals seemed to give the guests hope of a late comeback, but despite some shaky moments Toronto managed to hang on for what Cummins claimed was a "thoroughly deserved win" and that he was "chuffed with the 3 points".
Match winner Guevara was stretchered off at the end of the game in considerable pain, however Cummins alleviated any concerns by claiming his star man had merely "cramped up". This was the most impressive Toronto FC performance of the season thus far. TFC were "superb from the first minute to the last minute" according to Carl Robinson. Man of the Match Barrett agreed and felt "Everybody in the team stepped up".
Chivas may have been experiencing fatigue on their first trip east and Preki will have to lift his troops after his side were dominated all over the pitch. His side is heading into a tricky run of fixtures and he will need better from his players if Chivas are to remain atop the standings for much longer.
Toronto FC have a stretch of home games coming up, starting with a weekend clash with Kansas City, who TFC vanquished earlier on the road in their season opener.
Talha Zaheer is the Toronto Goal.com contributor
Follow all the MLS action in Goal.com's league section!
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