Toronto FC was back in training today ahead of a busy stretch that will see them play two games in two competitions this week.
Here are some news and notes from Monday’s practice at the club’s training facility in Downsview.
GEARING UP FOR THE IMPACT
Toronto will attempt to hoist the Voyageurs Cup for a second consecutive season when they host the Montreal Impact in the return leg of the Canadian Championship final on Tuesday night.
Not only is the Cup at stake, but also a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League. If TFC wins the two-match, aggregate series, they’ll automatically qualify for the CONCACAF tournament. If Montreal wins, these two teams will meet in a one-game playoff on Aug. 9 at BMO Field to decide who qualifies for the Champions League.
“A huge game. You can’t overstate how big of a game it is against Montreal: A chance to win a trophy, best Canadian team, and secure our spot in the Champions League next year. A really big night, we hear it’s going to be a great crowd, so it’s exciting because there’s a chance early on in the season to play a big game where everything is on the line, it’s what we all want,” captain Michael Bradley said.
TFC and the Impact drew 1-1 in Montreal in the opening leg last Wednesday. The Reds can repeat as Canadian champions with a win or a 0-0 draw in the return leg. The Impact need to score at least one goal in Tuesday’s contest to have a chance at winning their first Canadian Championship since 2014.
Despite scoring the away goal last week, TFC coach Greg Vanney characterized his team’s performance in Montreal as “average at best.”
“In terms of our energy and attention to detail, some things that we like to pride ourselves on, I thought we were a little bit loose,” Vanney admitted.
“If we do things the right way with the right amount of attention and urgency then we give ourselves the best chance to win. You don’t get to win games just because. … We’re not going to sit back and feel comfortable about where we’re at. We’re going to play this game like we have to win it, but in what we hope is a smart way.”
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ANOTHER SHORT TURNAROUND
After facing Montreal, TFC will travel to Texas to take on FC Dallas in MLS action on Saturday, marking the only time these sides will meet this season.
TFC won last season’s meeting, a 1-0 decision at home on May 7, 2016, with Tsubasa Endoh netting the winner.
Dallas is coming off a 1-1 draw away to Houston last Friday. While Dallas boasts one of the best defensive records in MLS (it’s conceded just 15 times), Vanney believes it has underwhelmed from an attacking perspective (just 23 goals for this season).
“They’re a team with a lot of weapons. They have a lot of good players. They can hurt you in different ways. I’m a little surprised that they haven’t scored as many goals as maybe we would have expected. That’s been one of their challenges – finding consistent goals,” Vanney stated.
Last week, Toronto played two games in three days. This week, it’s two in five days. The gruelling schedule – the Reds are in the middle of a 19-day stretch that will see them play six matches – has tested the team’s depth, but thus far, Vanney has effectively rotated his squad and made the most of a collection of players who he believes are quite versatile.
“Our ability to adapt is one of the special qualities of our group that I don’t know if there’s enough credit for that. But we will adjust into different systems and different places, and guys will assume different roles, and they’ll do so with fluidity and without their minds blowing up. We couldn’t have done that in the past,” Vanney stated.
NATIONAL TEAM CALL-UPS
TFC received a big boost on Sunday when Bradley and top scorer Jozy Altidore were not named to the U.S. national team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup.
American coach Bruce Arena has put together a largely experimental side, leaving a number of national team veterans at home. If Bradley and Altidore had been selected, they would have missed both of this week’s games, and next Wednesday’s visit to Orlando.
The fact that Vanney gets to hold onto two of his veteran players is a massive boost for the Reds during a busy time in the MLS season, which is something Arena, at least in part, took into consideration.
“Obviously, [Arena is] taking the time and opportunity to look at some other players on his roster who maybe don’t play as regularly as [Bradley and Altidore] do. In some ways, it’s mutually beneficial … For us, we at appreciate the thought of the value of those guys in this time period for a team like us,” Vanney said.
Arena did, however, call up defender Justin Morrow, who will miss TFC’s next three games and maybe more, depending on how far the U.S. progresses at the Gold Cup. Morrow has one cap for the U.S., his lone appearance coming in a friendly against Canada in January, 2013.
“Justin deserves this in a big way. He and I arrived here at the same time, in January of 2014. He had come off a good stretch at San Jose [his previous team], but he had pushed himself and improved in big, big ways in the last three and a half years. I think he’s established himself as one of, if not the best, left fullback in the league,” Bradley offered.
Gold Cup teams are allowed to make six roster changes after the completion of the group stage, with those new players having to come from their 40-man preliminary rosters that they previously submitted. Both Bradley and Altidore are on the 40-man list, and Arena is expected to recall them should the U.S. team qualify for the tournament’s knockout round.
“Playing for your national team is a huge honour. It’s something I’ve always taken very seriously. Whenever Bruce wants me, he knows I’m ready to go and give him everything I have,” Bradley said.
“At the same time, I’m very excited about the fact that I can be here over the next stretch and make sure we continue to move along in a good way.”
Three other TFC players – Raheem Edwards, Jonathan Osorio and Tosaint Ricketts – will join the Canadian team for the Gold Cup after Tuesday’s match against the Impact.
Armando Cooper is expected to leave to join Panama following the Dallas match this weekend.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup runs from July 7-26 across 14 cities in the United States. Canada’s first game is against French Guiana on July 7 in Harrison, N.J.
INJURY UPDATE
Canadian forward Ricketts is fully fit after missing three games in all competitions with a hamstring strain. He was an unused substitute in last Friday’s win over New England.
Nick Hagglund is still recovering from a torn MCL. He’s been out since mid-May, but he continues to make good progress and could be able to return for the Reds’ home game against New York City FC on July 30.
Vanney said there are no other injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s contest against the Impact.
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