TORONTO — A visit by the last-place team in Major League Soccer was exactly what Toronto FC needed to put some spring back in its step.
Fullback Justin Morrow’s first-half goal was the difference on Saturday night, as the Reds earned a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire before 27,934 fans at BMO Field.
TFC is 6-6-5 at the halfway point of the MLS season, with this result ending a modest two-game winless run. Chicago is now winless in its last 33 road games, an embarrassing streak that dates back to July 12, 2014.
Toronto coach Greg Vanney was full of praise for his players after the game, while admitting he would have liked more goals.
“I thought we defended well, we created chances. I thought we did a good job of moving the ball, and managing their counter-attack,” Vanney enthused.
Really, though, TFC made it more difficult on itself by letting the Fire stick around in this one for far longer than they deserved. Last Saturday, the Reds outplayed Seattle at home, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw. They were fortunate this week to have been playing such a hapless outfit as Chicago—a more polished side would have punished Toronto for not putting this one away earlier.
Vanney conceded his team needs to be better at killing off games, but he also liked how TFC defended and locked things down against the Fire.
“We’re not scoring a load of goals right now, so it’s important that our defence remains solid and stiff the way it has the last several games and for most of the year,” Vanney said.
He later added: “A win’s a win right now in the grind of the summer with a lot of guys [out injured].”
Reigning league MVP Sebastian Giovinco is in uncharted territory, as he is now scoreless in seven MLS games (585 consecutive minutes), his longest futility streak since joining Toronto last year. His previous longest scoring slump was a pair of three-game stretches—and one of those came in his first three matches in the league. Giovinco’s last goal in league play was in a loss against Vancouver on May 14, although he did score in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship final on June 21 vs. the Whitecaps.
In total, Giovinco registered 13 of Toronto’s 25 shots against Chicago, with only one on target. The Italian became so frustrated with himself after one miss that he tore his jersey “Incredible Hulk” style.
To his credit, the Italian put in a man-of-the-match effort on this night, spearheading the attack, and setting up Morrow’s goal. He also had a number of quality scoring chances—he just couldn’t burry any of them.
TFC was without goalkeeper Clint Irwin, and midfielders Michael Bradley and Will Johnson, who are all out with long-term injuries. Forward Jozy Altidore was also absent, although he is close to returning to action after being sidelined since mid-May with a hamstring injury.
Toronto completely dominated the opening 45 minutes, and should have been up more than 1-0 going into the break for all the possession it enjoyed and the amount of pressure it heaped of Chicago’s defence.
It took the Reds only nine minutes to score. Giovinco delivered a sublime through ball into the box that carved open the Fire’s back line, and Morrow ran onto the end of it before firing it home for his second goal of the season.
TFC had other chances, with Giovinco sending his free kick from the edge of the box just over the crossbar, and rookie Tsubasa Endoh having his shot cleared off the goal-line by a Chicago defender after goalkeeper Sean Johnson was caught out of position.
Chicago’s Michael de Leeuw came on at the start of the second in his MLS debut, although the Dutch forward contributed very little, and Toronto continued to dictate the pace. Chicago did come close to equalizing in the 64th minute when Kennedy Igboananike’s shot from just inside the box smacked the crossbar.
Giovinco’s angled free kick moments later beat an outstretched Johnson but not the near post. Then in the 75th minute, the Italian went on a beautiful run and expertly cut inside a Chicago defender, only to send his curling shot wide of the far post.
Johnson came up big in the 79th minute, getting down low to palm away Jordan Hamilton’s effort that looked destined to sneak inside the post.
NOTES: Chicago leads the all-time series against Toronto with nine wins and eight draws in 22 contest. These two sides will meet two more times this season: Sep. 10 in Chicago, and Oct. 23 in Toronto… TFC returns to action next week with road games against the Columbus Crew (July 13) and San Jose Earthquakes (July 16). After that, the Reds begin a four-match homestand.
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