Toronto FC closes out its 2018 Major League Soccer season this weekend when it hosts Atlanta United.
Here’s what you need to know about Sunday evening’s contest at BMO Field.
TFC’S MLS SINGLE-SEASON RECORD IN JEOPARDY
Toronto has already been eliminated from the playoff race, but that doesn’t mean it has nothing to play for in its regular-season finale.
TFC set the record for most points in a single MLS season last year with 69. Atlanta enters this match on 69 points, which means it can break the mark established by Toronto with a draw or a win.
The visitors can also clinch the Supporters’ Shield, the award given to the team that finishes the MLS regular season in first place, with a win at BMO Field.
The New York Red Bulls enter the final weekend of the campaign second in the overall MLS standings with 68 points. They can also break TFC’s record with a win at home against Orlando City. New York can claim the Supporters’ Shield with a win and if Atlanta loses or draws Toronto.
A TALE OF TWO TEAMS
A year ago, TFC clinched the Supporters’ Shield and set the single-season point record with a 2-2 draw in Atlanta on the last day of the MLS campaign.
A year later, the Reds enter their final match of the 2018 MLS campaign with a 9-18-6 record, sit ninth in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated from playoff contention several weeks ago.
By comparison, Atlanta enters Sunday’s match with a league-best 21-6-6 record and sit atop the East with 69 points – a whopping 36 points above Toronto.
THE VIEW FROM ATLANTA
“You want to take advantage of the opportunities when you have them. You hear about it in other sports where they’ve got this time frame. … We feel like we’ve got a short little time frame now where we have Miguel [Almiron] and we have Josef [Martinez] and we spent the money and we’ve got the fans and we’ve got a great team. We want to take advantage of it.” – Captain Michael Parkhurst to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JOSEF MARTINEZ
Atlanta striker Josef Martinez is a top candidate to win the league’s MVP honour this season. The Venezuelan has already set the record for most goals in a single MLS campaign with 30 and will be looking to add to that tally on Sunday.
Martinez scored both goals for his side in a 2-2 home draw against Toronto earlier this year, and he has three goals in three appearances against the Reds.
However, the Atlanta star is in a bit of a dry spell at the moment, having failed to score in his last four games.
ABSENCES FOR TORONTO
Once again, Toronto will be without several key starters for Sunday’s tilt. Forward Jozy Altidore (ankle) and midfielder Victor Vazquez (knee) were both shut down for the season after having surgeries earlier this month.
Defender Drew Moor will also be unavailable as he’s dealing with a quad issue.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Toronto has been shut out in its last two games and has gone 197 consecutive minutes without scoring a goal.
According to the league’s website, TFC forward Sebastian Giovinco has hit the post or crossbar nine times this season, as many or more times than five MLS teams.
Seven of Josef Martinez’s goals this season have come from penalty kicks.
TFC vs. ATLANTA: A HISTORY
These sides have met three times since Atlanta joined MLS last season. All three games ended in 2-2 draws, including their only previous encounter this season on Aug. 4 in Atlanta.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The beginning of a long and interesting off-season awaits TFC after Sunday’s regular season finale. GM Tim Bezbatchenko and Greg Vanney will no doubt take some time off, but they’ll also have to figure out what roster moves they’ll need to make, strengthen positions on the pitch that need it, and figure out how they will prepare for a 2019 campaign that will see TFC once again have to balance Concacaf Champions League and MLS commitments.
Regardless of whether it finishes first or second in the East, Atlanta will have a first-round bye in the MLS playoffs, which kick off on Oct. 31.
Atlanta’s opponent in the Eastern Conference semifinals has yet to be determined, but what we do know is they will host the decisive second leg, no matter who the face. If Atlanta wins the Supporters’ Shield, it will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, including the MLS Cup final should it make a run that deep.
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