The bad news for Toronto FC in the league table after the past weekend’s 3-0 defeat to D.C. United is that it dropped five spots in the Eastern Conference standings.
The not-so-bad and slightly encouraging news is that second to fourth place teams are only two points ahead of seventh spot Toronto. East-leading Philadelphia drew its match and failed to pull away by any more than a manageable four points.
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VIDEO: Toronto-D.C. Game In Six minutes.</p> |
The East could remain a close fight throughout the 2011 season from top to bottom. Unlike the Western Conference where Salt Lake, Colorado, Los Angeles and Dallas (when they get their act together) can create a gulf between the elite and the rest of the region, the East doesn’t have a defined leader as of yet. Therefore, it’s important for teams to get points. In this scenario even draws can prove increasingly important for a view to postseason.
Week 5 MLS Roundup
Toronto kicked off the fifth week of MLS regular season action with a scoreless midweek draw against Los Angeles. Both teams played again at the weekend. Toronto lost to D.C. United 3-0 and LA Galaxy made the best of extra day’s rest in the midst of a three-game road trip to beat Chicago 2-1.
In the other Wednesday match Salt Lake beat their Rocky Mountain rival Colorado 1-0 in a contest of 2009 and reigning MLS Cup champions. The Utah club could add further glory this week in the first leg of the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League Final against Mexico’s Monterrey. Salt Lake’s CCL journey went through Toronto in the group stage in 2010.
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Portland Timbers grabbed two successive wins in the first ever matches at their brand new Jeld-Wen Field this week. On Thursday they beat Chicago 4-2 – the first of the Fire’s two losses this week – and Sunday the Timbers did away with Dallas 3-2.
On Saturday Philadelphia drew Seattle 1-1, Vancouver played Chivas USA to a nil-nil final, New York got a small measure of revenge against San Jose for 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs exit by rattling the Quakes 3-0 at Red Bull Arena and Columbus – Toronto’s next opponent – beat Kansas City 1-0 at home.
Sunday’s third match was a tilt between 2006 & 2007 MLS Cup Final opponents Houston and New England, with the Texas side taking maximum points from a 1-0 victory.
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