Toronto FC is to face a Colorado Rapids team on Sunday night that's coming off a three-game Eastern swing. The Rapids are undefeated in their last four games, playing a second consecutive draw - 1-1 at D.C. United - last weekend. TFC are coming off a 2-2 home draw with the Chicago Fire last weekend in league play, also playing to a draw at midweek with Vancouver in the opening leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship final.
RELATED: Sunday Broadcast Info
RELATED: Toronto-Vancouver Tickets - NCC Final Second Leg May 25
RELATED: Plata Poised For Ecuador Plans
TORONTO FC
Toronto FC returned to BMO Field and were pegged back for a 2-2 draw by the Chicago Fire after opening up a two-goal lead on Saturday evening. TFC has 11 points from 11 games on the season, in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
LAST MATCH
Toronto FC got off to an ideal start. Joao Plata collected the ball on the left flank and ran toward the top of the box, curling a low, right-footed shot inside the far post for a 1-0 advantage.
Shortly after the break, TFC doubled their margin when Maicon Santos fired a speculative shot from 30 yards out which went right through the legs of Fire goalkeeper Jon Conway.
Fire manager Carlos de los Cobos inserted Orr Barouch, and the 19-year-old striker quickly made his mark. He earned a foul at the top of the box in the 63rd minute, and Marco Pappa curled a magnificent left-footed free kick that found the top right corner.
Chicago completed the comeback 13 minutes later. Corben Bone sent in a ball from the right which crossed the face of the goal before an unmarked Barouch connected with his knee on a sliding effort, bundling the ball over the line.
TFC head coach Aron Winter made two changes to the team that fell 1-0 to FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. Dan Gargan came into the back four for Danleigh Borman, and Maicon Santos replaced Alen Stevanovic up top.
TORONTO FC (4-1-2-3): Stefan Frei - Richard Eckersley, Dicoy Williams, Adrian Cann, Dan Gargan - Julian de Guzman, Jacob Peterson, Tony Tchani - Nick Soolsma (Matt Gold 87), Maicon Santos (Javier Martina 84), Joao Plata (Alen Stevanovic 61)
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids completed a three-game Eastern road swing undefeated, playing to a 1-1 draw with D.C. United on Saturday evening at RFK Stadium. The Rapids have 15 points from 10 games, sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference.
LAST MATCH
The visitors opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Jamie Smith’s in swinging delivery from the left side wasn’t cleared by the United defense, and Drew Moor pounced on the loose ball, sliding a shot past United goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
But United pulled even in the 62nd minute. Working on the far left of the Colorado area, Chris Pontius collided with Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura. Both players went down, but referee Terry Vaughn pointed to the spot. With normal United penalty taker Charlie Davies off injured, Pontius stepped up and beat Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens to level the score.
Rapids head coach Gary Smith made two changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw with the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium. Jamie Smith and Andre Akpan came into the team, for Scott Palguta and Caleb Folan.
COLORADO RAPIDS (4-4-2): Matt Pickens - Kosuke Kimura, Marvell Wynne, Tyrone Marshall, Drew Moor - Jamie Smith, Pablo Mastroeni, Jeff Larentowicz, Wells Thompson (Ross LaBauex 95+) - Andre Akpan (Sanna Nyassi 75), Quincy Amarikwa (Conor Casey 67).
REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja. SAR (bench): Philippe Briere; JAR (opposite): Brian Poeschel; 4th: Elias Bazakos
Okulaja MLS career: 106 games; Fouls called/game: 27.3; Yellow cards/game: 3.3; Red cards: 18; Penalties: 25
INJURY REPORT:
COLORADO RAPIDS – OUT: FW Omar Cummings (R ankle sprain); FW Caleb Folan (R groin strain); FW Macoumba Kandji (L knee ACL tear); PROBABLE: GK Matt Pickens (R groin strain); FW Quincy Amarikwa (L ankle sprain); FW Conor Casey (L hamstring strain); DF Eddie Ababio (R hamstring strain)
TORONTO FC – OUT: MF Elbekay Bouchiba (R knee surgery recovery); DOUBTFUL: DF Mikael Yourassowsky (L knee tendonitis); QUESTIONABLE: FW Alan Gordon (adductor strain); FW Keith Makubuya (adductor strain); MF Gianluca Zavarise (adductor strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED:
COL: Brian Mullan (through June 26)
TOR: Julian de Guzman (yellow card accumulation through May 22).
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: COL: Conor Casey, Drew Moor … TOR: Dan Gargan
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (8 meetings): Rapids 3 wins, 9 goals … Reds 5 wins, 11 goals … Ties 0
AT COLORADO (4 meetings): Rapids 3 wins, 5 goals … Reds 1 win, 2 goals … Ties 0
RETURN MATCH September 17: Toronto FC v Colorado Rapids - 1:30 p.m. ET (TSN)
LAST YEAR (MLS):
April 18: Colorado 3-1 Toronto (Casey 24, 85; Larentowicz 71 – De Rosario 58)
July 10: Toronto 1-0 Colorado (Ibrahim 61)
In eight all-time meetings between the clubs, the away side has won just once– a 1-0 win by Toronto FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in 2008. TFC and the Rapids have never played to a draw.
Coaches records: Gary Smith vs. TOR: P4 W2 L2 D0 … Aron Winter v COL: first game
