Four games in 12 days – including a two-legged affair in the CONCACAF Champions League final – across three countries.
That’s the daunting task facing Toronto FC, starting with Saturday’s MLS road game against the Colorado Rapids. After that, the Reds return home to host Club Deportivo Guadalajara of Mexico’s Liga MX next Tuesday in the first leg of the CONCACAF championship series. Then it’s another MLS road game against the Houston Dynamo on April 21, followed by the second leg of the CONCACAF final in Guadalajara on April 25.
TFC tried to get the Houston match postponed in order to have more time to prepare for the second leg in Mexico, but club president Bill Manning confirmed to mlssoccer.com that the contest will go on as scheduled. This gruelling stretch of the schedule, with an average of one match every three days, poses the stiffest test of TFC’s vaunted roster depth to date, especially with a number of key players dealing with injuries.
“It’s been a difficult start to the season on guys physically, especially these little things because we’ve played on multiple different surfaces between hard surfaces, turf surfaces, soft surfaces like [BMO Field] right now. It’s just our guys are taking a little bit of a bump and grind,” coach Greg Vanney said during a conference call with reporters.
Influential midfielder Victor Vazquez continues to deal with a nerve issue in his back, a problem that has sidelined him for the past two MLS games, as well as both legs of the CONCACAF semifinals against Club America. The Spaniard won’t play in Colorado, and his status for next week’s game against Guadalajara remains uncertain
“It needs a little time to settle down. There’s a typical window of time and we’re right on the edge of it. So, we’re not quite sure where Victor will be coming into Tuesday. It’s precarious because it’s a nerve thing,” Vanney admitted.
Nick Hagglund remains out with a long-term hamstring strain. Forward Jozy Altidore (foot), defenders Chris Mavinga (lower body) and Gregory van der Wiel (Achilles), and fullback Justin Morrow (calf) are also dealing with injuries, with both Mavinga and Morrow having been sidelined for several weeks. All four players are trending in the right direction, though, and Vanney is optimistic they’ll be available for the first leg versus the Mexican side.
But don’t expect any of them to play in Colorado this weekend, as Vanney will want to give them extra time to recuperate ahead of the CONCACAF showdown.
As a result, Vanney will have to go to his bench on Saturday, and give playing time to bench players who have seen little action this season, including Canadians Jay Chapman, Jordan Hamilton and Liam Fraser.
On Friday, a trio of players from the TFC II farm club — midfielder Aidan Daniels, defender Julian Dunn and forward Ryan Telferto — were signed to the senior team roster, thus providing Vanney greater flexibility to give other starters a rest for the Houston game.
“We will rest who we need to rest, will play who we think is in the right physical and mental frame to play,” Vanney cautioned.
He later added: “A lot of guys will get opportunities this weekend, which is great for them and for our team. We’ll set our team up to go in to Colorado to win the game. That is the mindset of our club – it doesn’t matter who is on the field – to compete and go after this game.”
That’s a bold attitude in light of the fact most of the regular starters will be missing on Saturday. But then, Vanney has every right to be full of confidence.
One of TFC’s greatest assets is the strength of its bench. The Reds managed to get to the semifinals of the Champions League largely without the services of Mavinga, Vazquez and Morrow. The Reds were missing that influential trio in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Club America in the second leg of the semifinals, and also finished the game without van der Wiel and Altidore.
Minus five starters, TFC still managed to earn a result at Estadio Azteca against one of the best clubs in North America, an amazing testament to this team’s incredible depth and character.
REDS SIGN JASON HERNANDEZ
TFC welcomed a familiar face back into the fold on Friday when it officially signed free agent defender Jason Hernandez.
Hernandez, 34, made eight MLS appearances for the Reds last season. Curiously, Toronto went undefeated whenever Hernandez played, with seven wins and one draw. The veteran defender was out of contract at the end of the 2017 campaign, and the Reds decided not to renew his contract. But he was invited to pre-season training camp for 2018, and the belief was that he would eventually re-sign with TFC.
“Jason was an important member of our club last season both on and off the field. He is an experienced veteran that provides us with another strong defender to an already excellent group,” General manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a release. “We remained in contact with Jason throughout the off-season regarding his return and we are pleased to bring him back to TFC.”
In 13 seasons, Hernandez has made a combined 293 appearances in MLS regular season and MLS Cup playoff games, having turned out for the New York MetroStars, Chivas USA, San Jose Earthquakes and New York City FC
NEWS AND NOTES
Toronto beat Colorado 2-0 on aggregate in the Round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions League… Mexican teams have won every single CONCACAF Champions League since the inaugural tournament in 2008. Only two non-Mexican teams have ever made it to the final: Real Salt Lake in 2011 and the Montreal Impact in 2015… TFC has extra incentive to win this tournament. The winner of the CONCACAF Champions League qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup, an annual tournament featuring the six continental club champions, including the winners of the UEFA Champions League… The 2018 FIFA Club World Cup is schedule for Dec. 12-22 in the United Arab Emirates.
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