South Traffic Report : Toronto v Kansas City
Sporting KC as the Kansas City Spurs
Yeah it’s late.
You see, somebody was trying to actually get to the game on time. They left early, gave themselves, what they thought was, plenty of time to get down to the stadium. Who knew that one set of road closures would have screwed up everything.
At 3:00 I had exited the Gardiner and was on Park Lawn. By 4:30 I was on the Queensway at Windemere, a whopping 2.3km in 90 minutes. With another 4.3 km to go, at this rate, I’d make the game in time for the end.
So I bailed.
Typically I would’ve taken a train in, but I had a post match event to race to, so driving in made sense.
Thankfully GolTV doesn’t have enough programming so it’s Sunday at noon, and here’s the report.
On to the match!
9′ – “traffic closures creating some problems for some supporters today”. No shit Luke Wileman. (I’m sorry, it’s not your fault. I’m still bitter)
12′ – Meyers gets on the end of a cross, full volleys it and just misses the far post. Crazy.
18′ – Wow, what a mess. Kantari blows a pass and then absolute chaos ensues. It ends with two desperate lunges by Bendik to keep it out. So comical and old TFC just without conceding.
20′ – PENALTY – not sure who it’s for specifically as two Sporks go down in the box. Doesn’t matter.
22′ – GOAL – Feilhaber fires it down the middle
ROBINS 0, SPORKS 1
22′ – GOAL – Oso pretty… Osorio slots it to Bradley who dishes to Giovinco who 1-2s back to Bradley whose first touch pops it over Melia. Wonderful response.
ROBINS 1,SPORKS 1
29′ – GOAL – Nemeth with a crazy looping header catches Bendik off his line and unable to prevent it from going in.
ROBINS 1, SPORKS 2
34′ – Bradley lets forth a bullet from 25 yards out forcing a lunging palm to push it over the bar.
45+2′ – free kick deep in the corner from a Jackson foul. Giovinco lays it off for Bradley who can’t turn but plays it on for Giovinco who fires it at the keeper.
Half Time Mood : not bad. They don’t seem to be deserving of being level, but they’re far from terrible.
53′ – Giovinco free kick slams into the leaping part of the wall. Heh.
61′ – Toronto has KC on the ropes with two corner kicks. Warner gets up for a header on the second and puts it just wide.
69′ – SUB – Morrow on for Osorio
69′ – SUB – Lovitz on for Morgan
71′ – Giovinco free kick from distance makes its way through a crowd and forces the keeper to punch the ball away.
74′ – Bradley finds a wide Lovitz down the left who crosses it and almost makes it to Altidore but cleared away.
79′ – What a flurry. Jackson had this amazing curling shot with the outside of his boot, forcing a terrific save from Melia. From there the ball is crossed into the box where an unmarked Altidore has a free header with only the keeper to beat and he headed it wide of the post from 7 yards out
84′ – Giovinco pops a ball over for Bradley but his touch gets away from him and fires wide of goal
87′ – GOAL – Dammit. Peterson gets on the end of a through and puts it past a sprawling Bendik.
ROBINS 1, SPORKS 3
88′ – YELLOW – Warner booked for his interaction with Feilhaber
5 mins of extra time
Full Time : Toronto 1, Kansas City 3
Man of the Match : Bradley looked great
Goat of the Game : Outing one is tough as when the defenders were defending, it was often suspect, so I’m picking “all the defenders while defending”
Ref Rating : 3 out of 5
Kit Spotting : these absolute legends…
These three beauties. No comment about the people wearing them.
I Am Not The Gaffer, But… : other than the defensive calamities, they looked good and probably should’ve at another goal at least
In Case You PVR’d It : start around the 17th min for the scramble, then let it roll
I also had a Kansas City Wiz kit to wear, with Preki #11 on the back. These shirts turned out perfect… Jackson had an excellent match. He was a pain in the ass to the Sporks all afternoon… Why, of all people, does “Mr. Second Amendment” Jacob Peterson have to be the one who bags the last goal? Probably the most villainous of all former Robins (I’m sure there’s worse which I’ll either be corrected below or at recording tomorrow)… Seriously, who books a game when one of the major roads towards the stadium is closed only until the end of the match? Was playing on Sunday that far fetched?!?! And to the woman in the BMW SUV, I know you saw me. I’m going to invent a giant spatula that comes out from underneath my car, just to flip cars like yours out of the way for being stupid… Delgado’s rating wasn’t for being bad, as much as absent for much of the match… Osorio had a great first half, but also went kinda silent in the second… And full marks to Vanney for NOT PUTTING ON FINDLEY, but you guys still waived the wrong one, ESPECIALLY since you signed Gomez. Seriously. I’m so seriously you guys.
Player Ratings : Bendik 6, Morgan 6 (Lovitz N/A), Kantari 6, Zavaleta 6.5, Jackson 7, Warner 6.5, Delgado5.5, Osorio 6.5 (Morrow N/A), Bradley 7.5, Giovinco 7, Altidore 6.
August 9, 2015
Well, i think this one can be ut down to the difference between a good team, and an inconsistent team with some good players. defending again chaotic, yes with Morrow resting it wasn’t our best lineup, but was a good chance for Kantari to show if he Kan organise a defence or not. Apparently he Kant. had a few chances after Lovitz came on, he did well down the left,
Altidore miss was big. been a rough month or two from him, hope it doesn’t just snowball. early season he got off to a good start, and his finishing was good, dutch altidore. that was sunderland altidore finishing yesterday. Need something to happen to get his confidence and finishing back, sunderland altidore is no good to anyone.
August 9, 2015
TFC was trying to spook the Sporks, by setting up so many point blank sitters and then missing the KC net entirely, it must have been a game within a game.
As far as giving up goals, the only one I was upset about was the second one. What on earth was Kantari doing? He raced back passed Nemeth, to put him onside and reset TFC’s defensive line and then set about defending no one in particular. Kantari is shaping up to be the defender we don’t need. TFC has defenders better than Kantari and ones just like Kantari. Bez should have just saved his money as this is going to be a mess from here on in. No sense getting players unprepared to play in a league better than they anticipated.
Right now with the defense the way it is and will be, we need more secondary offense.
Jackson is shaping up to be a very versatile player, can he play CB?
I was surprised to hear some observers declare that TFC is certain to make the playoffs after the mid-week win. The weekend loss has making the playoffs more a feat than a certainty.
August 9, 2015
it was indeed a good resetting of expectations. game against an established good team, chance to show we belong in that category, make a statement of sorts. blew it. I think we’ll still make the playoffs, there’s enough poor teams below us in the standings and ahead on our schedule (and against other poor teams, individual quality can really count.) to make that happen. but when we come up against good teams in those playoffs, best not to hope too much I think.
August 10, 2015
I see the back pedaling has begun among those who had them down as contenders earlier without admitting they’ve changed their tune. Oddly enough, their stance on what should happen because of that has suddenly changed to keep themselves/their friends in power too
August 10, 2015
go on then, who in particular are you thinking of? I’ve noticed Kurt Larson starting to be a lot more critical of the defence, often Perquis in particular. but it does seem to be aimed at individuals, much like Vanney always says himself, rather than at any kind of systemic issue. because of course a coach can’t in anyway influence the defensive organisation, oh no, would be ridiculous to blame vanney for that.
August 10, 2015
there have been several journos and bloggers that have been saying they were SS, EC and MLS cup contenders and that, if they weren’t, there should be some serious questions asked. Now, “playoffs and maybe a win” are an acceptable end to the season to keep everyone in place. (also, Jozy is now going to be great next season rather than this season like they assured)
To add to your point, who signed these players?! Most of the football guys I have talked with would not have touched the centre backs they brought in with a barge pole. Especially at the price being quoted.