TORONTO—This much is clear: If Toronto FC is going to make the playoffs it’ll be entirely based on their ability to score goals, and despite their inability to prevent them.
TFC’s long-standing defensive woes continued on Saturday, as they gave up a trio of soft goals in a 3-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City before 24,326 fans at BMO Field.
This was the third game in eight days for Toronto, but coach Greg Vanney refused to accept fatigue as an excuse for this poor performance, admitting his team gave up “ridiculous goals again.”
“The first half, we flat out got out-worked. We were second to everything… We were just too slow. We were so reactive that we were constantly on the back foot. It’s like we were surprised by their pressure which we knew was coming—this is the Kansas City team that plays (like this) every weekend by closing you down and presses you,” Vanney admitted.
He later added: “It was unacceptable today. Period.”
TFC (9-9-4) remains third in the Eastern Conference and in the thick of the post-season race—for now. You have to think the Reds’ lackadaisical defending is eventually going to catch up with them.
How is that we’re still talking about this team’s defensive issues in August? This should have been properly addressed in January. Damien Perquis and Eriq Zavleta were off-season additions, but they’ve both been inconsistent, and the club should have anticipated that Steven Caldwell wasn’t going to finish out the campaign. Combine this with the ill-fated Warren Creavalle experiment at right fullback, and it is little wonder TFC is coughing up goals at such an alarming rate.
Curiously, general manager Tim Bezbatchenko pulled off a shocking move by acquiring forward Herculez Gomez before Thursday’s MLS trade deadline. Quite why Bezbatchenko didn’t try (or wasn’t able) to bring in another defender to strengthen the back line is the big question, though.
Gomez is a good signing, and he certainly gives TFC more attacking depth. Also, he’s an upgrade on Luke Moore, and it’s nice to have a reliable insurance policy in case Jozy Altidore goes down injured.
However, the addition of the American international offers a solution where no genuine problem exists, and is akin to a mother giving her young son an aspirin after he suffered a deep and bloody gash on his forehead instead of rushing him to the hospital—it doesn’t effectively deal with the most pressing issue.
Saturday marked the seventh consecutive game Toronto’s back line has been breached, giving up 19 goals in that run. Nineteen! The Reds have only registered four clean sheets this season, and sport one of the worst defensive records in MLS with 38 goals against in 22 games, for an appalling average of 1.71 goals per match.
Newcomer Ahmed Kantari has looked unsettled in his three starts (although, to be fair, we should give him more time before passing judgment), while fellow centre back Perquis has become more of a liability as the season has progressed.
What this team needed—badly—was defensive reinforcements. Instead, Bezbatchenko brought in another forward.
With the MLS season about to enter the home stretch, Vanney issued a stern warning to his defenders: “If guys are making mistakes they won’t be on the field.”
Fair enough. That’s the way it should be. But at this point, what other options does Vanney have than to keep going back to the same defenders who routinely switch off mentally, make individual errors and botch their marking assignments?
That’s not to put the entire blame on the defenders. Too many times this season the back four have been left exposed or unprotected by the players in front of them, and had to cope with dangerous counterattacks after a giveaway in the midfield.
“Conceding goals is just not about the back four. Conceding goals is about everybody on the field, especially when a number of the goals come from set pieces or secondary balls on set pieces. That for me, everybody is accountable in that situation,” Vanney explained.
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Captain Michael Bradley was back in the starting lineup Saturday after sitting out the past two games with a calf injury—before that he missed all of July while on Gold Cup duty.
Also returning from injury was Canadian left fullback Ashtone Morgan, while Altidore was back after serving a one-game ban. Perquis and midfielder Benoit Cheyrou both missed out through suspension.
Kansas City was very organized in defence from the opening kickoff, dropping everyone behind the centre circle and making it difficult for TFC to penetrate. The visitors carved out the first scoring chance when Chance Myers flashed a right-footed valley from inside the box just inches past the far post.
Moments after Joe Bendik made a fabulous save from in close to rob Connor Hallisey, Kantari was called for a foul when he wrapped his arms around a Kansas City player as they both went up for a ball inside the box. Benny Feilhaber converted from the penalty spot.
Toronto, though, stormed right back seconds later, leveling the score on a lovely passing sequence. Jonathan Osorio fed Bradley, who then flicked one for Sebastian Giovinco. Bradley continued his run and latched on to a gorgeous through ball by Giovinco, breaking in on goal and slotting it by goalkeeper Tim Melia.
Krisztian Nemeth restored the visitors’ advantage just before the half-hour mark, sending a looping header over Bendik, off the crossbar and in. It was poor defending by the Reds—Kansas City played the free kick short, and an unmarked Nemeth was able to nod home from 14 yards out.
Bradley forced a fabulous finger tip save from Melia in the 35th minute with a powerful blast from distance.
TFC carried the balance of play for the second half, with Melia again called upon to make a number of great saves, most notably diving to tip Jackson’s effort past the post. Collen Warner and Altidore both squandered glorious chances off headers, with the latter unable to bury his attempt despite facing an open goal.
Toronto was made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal when former Red Jacob Peterson was played into open space inside the box and drove a low shot past Bendik in the 87th minute. Again, it was far too simple and easy for the visitors.
“We have to take a hard look (at ourselves). Giving up three goals is unacceptable. It’s happened way too often, and it’s everybody (and) myself that has to tighten up and do better,” Vanney stated.
NOTES: This is the only match this season between these two sides… Kansas City leads the all-time series against Toronto with 13 wins and five draws in 22 meetings… Sporting have a six-game undefeated streak versus the Reds dating back to 2013… TFC returns to action next Saturday on the road against the New York Red Bulls…