Danny Koevermans and Thierry Henry exchanged second half goals Saturday as Toronto and New York drew 1-1 at BMO Field.
The two designated players delivered on the night for their respective clubs, but Koevermans’ exceptional strike rate continues to be the story for Toronto. The Dutchman put Toronto on top 1-0 at the 50th minute, finishing on a through ball from Ryan Johnson for his seventh MLS goal in just nine appearances. Terry Dunfield intercepted a Rafael Marquez pass and sent Johnson on a long run, before Koevermans slotted the ball through Frank Rost in the New York goal.
Henry’s equalizer was finely taken but, it came just one minute from regulation robbing Toronto of three points.
While the Frenchman’s finish was world class, it highlighted a continuing problem for Toronto on set-pieces that head coach Aron Winter put down to a “a lack of quality.” The Reds allowed a Dax McCarty corner kick to bounce inside the area before it found Henry, who flicked the ball to himself, turned and fired with full immunity in the Toronto box leveling the match 1-1. Defensive set-piece issues and costly lapses in concentration have haunted Toronto all season.
In order to quiet Henry and his strike partner Luke Rodgers, Winter switched to a 3-4-3 formation, which also brought the best out of centre backs Ty Harden and Andy Iro.
Tucked between the pair, Toronto captain Torsten Frings made his presence felt with a team high six clearances and several timely challenges. Iro won all of his duels and Harden made a tremendous play robbing Henry of a sitter at the 52nd minute. Quietly playing ahead of the back three, Terry Dunfield enjoyed a strong evening with a team-high 84 touches. One of his looping passes also made its way to Peri Marosevic, nearly giving the Reds a first half lead.
Toronto didn’t win, but there is a gulf between Saturday’s performance and the side that was run out of Harrison, New Jersey in a 5-0 rout in early July.
That match took place before the many midseason changes to the TFC squad and the difference is remarkable. Toronto was confident against a team full of quality individuals. New York edged ahead in the end with 56% possession, but for most of the game the teams were even. Toronto had more attempts on goal (15-14) and won nearly half the duels against a strong, experienced side that features two of the game’s all-time greats in Henry and Marquez. The confident display wasn't limited to the outfield players. Milos Kocic produced a brilliant save on Rodgers at the 38th minute to keep the Reds from conceding.
Thoughts on the game...
Up until five minutes before the end of the game I think that they played very well. We did not give much away but at the end, we were winning one-nil, again, before the game ends, again with a corner, a set-piece we are not sharp enough. It’s a pity because we deserved more.
Set-piece defending hasn't improved...
We are training for it and even with set-pieces you need to be closer to your man, you can show it, you can practice it but at that certain moment you are always making the same mistakes like on the corner kick (that resulted in Henry's goal).
