Another day at Disney World!
Toronto FC takes another step closer to the opening day as they take on Eastern Conference rivals the Philadelphia Union. Both Philadelphia and Toronto have a draw and a loss at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic and are looking for their first win.
Watch Toronto FC vs. Philadelphia Union @ 1:00 PM ET on TorontoFC.ca
3 Players to Watch:
Maurice Edu: Toronto’s first draft-pick has returned to the league, this time he as a designated player. Maurice Edu has joined the Philadelphia Union, on loan from Stoke City, hoping to return to form and win a spot in Jurgen Klinsmann’s United States World Cup squad. Fans will be in for quite a treat if Edu and Michael Bradley square off in the centre of the park.
Andre Blake: Scouts call him a ‘one in a generation’ type prospect, and this is why the Philadelphia Union traded up on draft day to select him. Blake is the first goalkeeper to be selected first overall in the league's SuperDraft. Hopefully the lanky Jamaican will be tested by TFC's strikers.
Jack McInerney: He may only be 21 years old, but Jack McInerney has been the go-to striker for the Union the past two seasons. McInerney has scored 20 goals in 56 appearances after his first season with the Union. Look for McInerney to use his speed and break behind the centre-backs for through balls. Philadelphia hopes to use his speed to stretch out the backline, creating holes for his teammates to exploit.
2 Questions:
Who will play up-top? As Ryan Nelsen mentioned in the post-game interview, injuries have left Toronto FC short on strikers. Saturday saw Manny Aparicio and Andrew Wiedeman start the game, with Dwayne De Rosario stepping in just after half. Will we see the same partnerships on Wednesday or will the team try something new out?
Who is Wednesday’s centre-back combo? Toronto has five centre-backs fighting for two spots in the starting eleven; Steven Caldwell, Doneil Henry, Gale Agbossoumonde, Ryan Richter, and Nick Hagglund. With only a few games left until March 15th, will Ryan Nelsen tip his hat and start his strongest pairing on Wednesday?
1 Prediction:
A Short Bench: Toronto FC has very few games remaining in preseason, so expect to see the bench get shorter, so the starting XI can develop match fitness. On Saturday night we saw a lot of ‘first team’ players play very few minutes, so look for them to see close to a full 90 on Wednesday.