Toronto FC play their final game at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic Saturday against Fluminense's U23's. This Brazilian squad is a mix of first team reserves and some of the country's bright young stars.
Watch Toronto FC vs. Fluminense @ 1:00 PM ET on TorontoFC.ca
3 Things to Watch:
Robert: Robert is the epitome of a Brazilian soccer player; he has incredible footwork, great vision, and speed to burn. He has much to learn to take his game to the next level, but you can't deny his talent. This kid might be one to remember.
Alfred Koroma: The American is a bit of an unknown right now. It is unsure if he is on trial with Fluminense or if he is training with the club during the NCAA offseason. The former US U17 star has had a rough few years, bouncing around from school to school in the NCAA. Hopefully training with a professional club will help him get out of this funk and back on track.
Fla-Flu Rivalry: Julio Cesar hasn't been involved with a Fla-Flu (Flamengo vs. Fluminense) rivalry since he left for Internazionale in 2005, but on Saturday he will get another shot at the cross town rival, Fluminense, at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. The match will not be heated like the derby, but I am sure Julio Cesar will dig deep to keep 'Flu' from putting anything in the back of the net.
2 Questions:
Will Nick Hagglund play fullback? This has been a question before, but with Bradley Orr & Mark Bloom still fighting to get back from injuries, Ryan Nelsen has been forced to play rookie Nick Hagglund on the right the entire tournament. Will he continue, or will Nelsen put Agbossoumonde on the right to give Hagglund some much needed rest?
Which striker will open their account? The over-worked duo of Andrew Wiedeman & Dwayne De Rosario have had trouble finding the back of the net this preseason, though that could be blamed on fatigue. Will Saturday be the day each striker breaks their egg?
1 Prediction:
A Toronto FC Win: Toronto has been doing some very good things at Disney, but they have failed to put the ball in the net during the run of play. This will change on Saturday. The team has been unlucky around the goal, and the young Brazilian squad is vulnerable in the back. Expect a solid win by the reds.