THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — With its Major League Soccer playoff hopes all but dashed, Toronto FC is now also looking to next year in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Substitute Javier Morales scored on a free kick in the second half Tuesday as Real Salt Lake drew Toronto FC 1-1 to send the Canadian side crashing out of the competition with one game still remaining.
Toronto FC’s final push for a winner in the dying minutes fell short as a chorus of boos rained down at the final whistle. The draw, coupled with Cruz Azul’s 2-0 win over Panama’s Arabe Unido, means both Real Salt Lake and Mexican giants advanced to the competition’s quarter-finals, while Toronto is left on the outside looking in.
"Very disappointed," said Toronto FC captain Dwayne De Rosario, whose team beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in the opener of the group stage but has managed just two points in four games since. "Guys worked very hard today and to not come out with the result we wanted — very disappointed."
Morales, in his first action since Sept. 9, curled a set piece over the Toronto FC wall and past backup goalkeeper Jon Conway from 20 yards out in the 68th minute to cancel out Jacob Peterson’s first-half strike. Julian de Guzman got a head on Morales’ shot, but could only deflect it into the roof of the Reds’ net.
Up until that point, Real Salt Lake had created very little.
"Unfortunately we gave up a silly free kick at the top of the box and to be fair they finished it great," said Toronto FC interim head coach Nick Dasovic.
Real Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis said inserting Morales into the lineup at half time was a risk considering his match fitness.
"The biggest question was how many minutes could he last," Kreis said. "It was a gamble that paid off."
Needing a win to have a realistic chance of staying in the competition, Peterson gave Toronto FC hope in the 19th minute with Conway as the unlikely provider. The ‘keeper, starting in place of Stefan Frei, collected a loose ball and heaved an outlet pass to the halfway line to the streaking Peterson, who moved in quickly on the counter attack. With one defender to beat, he fired a low shot to the right Real ‘keeper Nick Rimando.
"We work on that," Peterson said. "We know that Jon’s got a great arm on him. (Salt Lake) possesses the ball so well, so we knew on the counter attack we might get some joy and fortunately we did on that one."
Trailing 1-0 at the half, Real Salt Lake came out with more vigour after the break, but it was Toronto FC that had the best early chances. Peterson crossed to De Rosario in the 56th minute, forcing Rimando to come charging from his goal to smother the threat. De Rosario then forced Rimando into a fine diving save from 35 yards out a minute later.
Toronto had a chance to double its lead in the 41st minute, again off a break. But Peterson, De Rosario and Chad Barrett all failed to pull the trigger and the chance was lost.
Real nearly made Toronto pay for that miss a minute later off a free kick. Kyle Beckerman’s shot off a short feed from 35 yards out was spilled by Conway, but he recovered before any Salt Lake player could pounce.
The game started with more of a feel of a chess match as both sides were content to pass it around in midfield. Both teams could be excused for the lack of emotion. Real had travels issue in getting to Toronto, while the Reds suffered that demoralizing league defeat over the weekend.
Dasovic, whose side had just two shots on target to Real’s five in the match, said the sluggish opening was partly by design because of fatigue.
"With all the games that we’ve had it’s started to pile up and its difficult," Dasovic added. "At home you want to play a pressing, attacking game but you’ve got to look after the boys’ legs because they’ve been travelling so much."
After Peterson’s strike, the passive play reverted back to form, with the only action coming off a Toronto FC corner where Maicon Santos was injured in a collision with Rimando in the 27th. The Brazilian was replaced by Barrett.
De Rosario was his usual workmanlike self throughout the match, apparently shrugging off criticism from Saturday’s defeat 3-2 to San Jose. The Toronto native bucked his usual goal celebration against San Jose to mimic writing a cheque, a very public sign he’s unhappy with his contract situation.
De Rosario was unusually short in his answer to a question regarding the celebration, only to say that it wasn’t a distraction and that he didn’t have any regrets.
Toronto FC, whose MLS playoff hopes are barely alive after Saturday’s loss, conclude Group A action in the Champions League on Oct. 19 with a now meaningless visit from Arabe Unido. Cruz Azul visits Real the same night.
Attendance at BMO Field was announced as 10,581, but there couldn’t have been more than 5,000 seats occupied at kickoff, and large swaths remained throughout the match.
Toronto FC dropped a 4-1 decision to Real in both teams’ last group game Sept. 15., a day after the Reds fired head coach Preki and director of soccer Mo Johnston.
Notes: Morales’ strike was Real’s first ever goal at BMO Field. … Peterson’s goal was his first with Toronto FC since coming over in a January trade with Colorado. … Real Salt Lake clinched its third consecutive MLS playoff berth thanks to Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Colorado. …Tuesday game was Real’s sixth contest in 18 days. … Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC drew 0-0 at BMO Field in MLS play Aug. 28. … Toronto FC forward Fuad Ibrahim missed Tuesday’s game after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament against in last week’s 0-0 draw with Cruz Azul in Mexico City. He was also sent off earlier in the competition against Arabe Unido … Mista recorded just his first assist with Toronto FC in Saturday’s 3-2 league loss to San Jose.