Toronto FC II will return home to the Ontario Soccer Centre on Sunday evening where they will host the visiting Wilmington Hammerheads.
Head coach Jason Bent is happy to be back home following a three-game road trip and would like to see his team up their concentration as Bent believes there is the talent required to go on a run to a playoff spot, starting against this obstinate Wilmington defence.
“If we’re able to maximize possession at home, get into some set attacks, not always just in transition, then I fell that we can break them down," said Bent.
"We have to give ourselves the best possible chance of doing that by letting the ball do the work [and] keeping them moving and eventually things will open up”.
TFC II will be buoyed by the return of top scorer Raheem Edwards to the lineup. The forward leads the team with four markers on the season so far, but hasn't featured since his return from the Caribbean where he was playing with the Canada U-23 team.
Edwards is happy with his start to the campaign but feels there is more to come, having set himself the lofty aim of accruing 10 goals and 10 assists for the season.
“I’m doing well but as a player you always expect better from yourself even if you’re paying great," said Edwards. "I expect to score more goals, assist as much as I can and help out defensively.”
Wilmington arrive in Toronto in the midst of their own run of bad luck, with their most recent defeat to Charleston being the fifth in a row. Head Coach Mark Briggs, who played for the Hammerheads in two separate spells, will have to shuffle his lineup as captain Liam Miller will be missing the game due to suspension.
Bruno Perone is currently the leading scorer for the Hammerheads with 3 goals. The big central defender is a threat from set-pieces as well as the designated penalty taker.
Coach Bent retains belief in the ability of his team.
“If we’re focused on what we have to do, we don’t allow the player to get free runs to go and attack the ball and we don’t give away cheap free kicks in our own defensive third, we feel confident in our centre backs,” he said.
He was heartened by the way the defence dealt with the similar threat posed by Aaron Wheeler in the previous game.
“From the aerial perspective they didn’t have many chances, so we approach it from that same mindset and nullify that threat," added Bent.
Toronto FC II will also have to be aware of Mael Cordoz pulling the strings in midfield as he currently leads the team with three assists. John Smits will likely start in net after saving a penalty in the 1-0 loss to Charleston last Saturday.
Players to Watch
Qudus Lawal. A lively player who joined the Hammerheads from Seattle Sounders 2 in the middle of last season, his eagerness to take shots from anywhere on the park will keep the TFC II keeper busy all evening and his running will have the defence occupied, opening space for his team-mates. He has scored one goal this season and will be hungry to add more.
Bruno Perone. His soccer journey started in São Paulo. The Perone saw time in the lower leagues of Brazil and Spain. Following that he took a detour through the Premier League with Queens Park Rangers and had a brief dalliance in India with Kerala Blasters FC before signing with Wilmington for this season. The 6' 4” Brazilian is a strong presence in either penalty box.
Get your tickets to Sunday night's match here or watch via livestream on tfc2.ca.
