South Couch Report – Toronto v Orlando

Well well well, look who’s on the bench.

Much to my surprise (yay!) is Jozy Altidore and (whuh?) Joe Bendik.  One of these makes complete sense, and the other is Joe Bendik.  He’s been hung out to dry over the last few games, and surely he can’t be held responsible?  But what do I know.  I am not the gaffer (but… nevermind).

On to the match :

14’ – Larin makes a run, gets into the box, see Kantari and turns around.  Strange.

16’ – I wouldn’t say this is boring, but neither team seems to be capable of doing anything in the penalty areas. Mostly played in the middle of the park.

17’ – Jackson rips a blast from 25 yards out forcing Tally Hall to make a leaping save to palm it away.

19’ – Long pass finds the head of Giovinco who places it in front of Delgado who gets a free shot from inside the box and fires it well over the bar.

23’ – YELLOW – Giovinco gets booked for a careless tackle on a counter-attacking Ramos

35’ – Rafael Ramos gets a straight red for studs on the ankle of Morrow.  Makes the Giovinco booking seem intelligent.

39’ – Now Kaka backs over Morrow and gets booked for it.  What did Justin do to deserve all of this?

42’ – YELLOW – Kantari is booked for grabbing on Larin’s kit.

Half-Time Mood : haven’t missed much.  Wish I was at the Ex (and I do not like the Ex)

45’ – SUB – Jackson has a sore hammy so he comes off for Lovitz

46′ – GOAL – Marky Delgado is in the right place 6 yards out to take a Bradley pass and buries it.
ROBINS 1, PURPS 0

49’ – Osorio gets a ball down the left, does a turn around and loses his marker, firing and forcing Hall to make a stop.  Rebound finds Bradley and he nearly hits the chair lift.

50’ – Giovinco recovers his steps and blasts one forcing Hall to make another save.  Ref blows it by not awarding a corner.

57′ – GOAL – Free kick about a yard outside the penalty area and Giovinco banks it off of the left post.  Magical.  Absolutely magical.
ROBINS 2, PURPS 0

61’ – Kaka centers it and I couldn’t see who shot it, but it was saved by Lovitz.

64’ – Larin had a lunging attempt, but Konopka off his line punch it away.

71′ – GOAL – after a minute and a half of control, it ends with a 1-2 Bradley and Giovinco, then a low cross acros the face of goal and finds Morrow to side foot it in.
ROBINS 3, PURPS 0

72’ – SUB – Osorio makes way for Altidore

78’ – SUB – Giovinco earns a well-deserved standing ovation and comes off for the much less effective Findley

83′ – PENALTY – After Findley beats a way off his line Hall, Adrian Winter hauls him down inside the box and erns his second yellow.

83’ – GOAL – Altidore scores.  Slump over?  Can it be from a penalty?
ROBINS 4, PURPS 0

85′ – GOAL – OK, slump over.  Altidore gets on the end of leaping Robbie Findley (I know… I know) volley and heads it in.
ROBINS 5, PURPS 0

88′ – I can say with confidence that Toronto has this.  Around 90% positive…

1 minute of extra time

FULL TIME : Toronto 5, Orlando 0

Man of the Match : I’m going to go with Morrow as he was abused out there, didn’t get subbed and scored a goal.  Many players had worthy games.

Goat of the Game : umm… hmmm…  wow… gun-to-head, I’d pick… nevermind.

Ref Rating : 3 out of 5.  Couple of harsh calls, but nothing difference-making.

I Am Not The Gaffer But… : I wanna know what the hell he said to fire them up.

In Case Your PVR’d It : second half.  I wish GolTV had a skip function…

Suppose this is where crow-eating takes place. Jozy Altidore had 20 minutes to prove himself and somehow bagged a brace, but one was a penalty, which he rightfully earned, and the other was at the end of a cross where Orlando was playing with 2 men down. Without question, he deserved to be benched and full marks to Vanney to doing what no one thought he could possibly do.  Congratulations to Jozy for bagging two goals.  He has played himself back into the starting XI for the game versus Montreal, and deserves it.  My concern lies with the ability to see that he’s struggling and then have the courage to remove him before spending another 90+ minutes being completely ineffective. If one of the roles he’s supposed to play is drawing defenders out of position to make room for others doesn’t work if defenders know he poses zero threat.  Still require more consistency from Altidore to convinced he belongs (and at his wage, and yes his wage very much matters).

Player Ratings : Konopka 6; Morrow 8, Kantari 6, Williams 6, Jackson 6.5 (Lovitz 6); Warner 6, Cheyrou 6.5; Osorio 6.5 (Altidore, ugh… 8), Bradley 8, Delgado 7.5; Giovinco 9 (Findley N/A)