A test. This is what these games are.
Toronto FC waged a spirited fight against Tottenham, but even head coach Ryan Nelsen admitted the biggest task lies ahead: Sporting Kansas City at home on Saturday night.
But there were signs that this team, a mix of youthful exuberance and veteran savvy, knows that every game serves a purpose.
“I just told the guys we didn't come here to spectate," said Dwayne De Rosario, the leader of the second half charge that gave BMO Field a jolt.
"This is our field, this is our home. We have to take it to them. I think we did that in the second half and we were able to put them under pressure and force them to cough up the balls where we could attack and counter-attack. We started to build confidence from that."
De Rosario was great, but it was the play of youngsters like Daniel Lovitz and Jonathan Osorio that stood out.
The press employed by Mauricio Pochettino’s club gave Toronto problems early in the first half, but the Reds’ ability to adapt, especially Lovtiz, showed in the second half. That’s what these international friendlies are for: An opportunity to show where this team stands. Not for the stars, but the crew of players tasked with improving by the day, by the minute, by the touch.
By that measure, Wednesday’s match was a positive endeavor.
Champions riding high
The business end of this week comes against a team that is firing on all cylinders.
Led by Graham Zusi and Matt Besler, Sporting Kansas is the class of the Eastern Conference. In terms of a measuring stick, this is it.
They had their own friendly on Wednesday night, hosting Manchester City at Sporting Park in a matchup of champions.
The Premier League title holders had their way, easing to a 4-1 victory that didn’t say much about either club.
“For us, our focus is on the league,” said head coach Peter Vermes. “We have a big game Saturday, and that’s where for focus was and is. Everybody got out of here with no injuries, which is great. It was a good environment, a good game, and it was a good 45 minutes for both groups.”
“For 45 minutes we wanted to go out and play our style,” Belser added. “We wanted to use it as a training exercise against an exciting team that a lot of us watch on Saturday morning. But beyond that, it’s not much more than that. We’re moving on to Saturday.”
The Eastern Conference leaders are on full tilt, exhibiting the play that led them to the MLS Cup last season. A win over the LA Galaxy last week lifted an already confident team.
With games in hand, Toronto FC is within striking distance of the top. The stakes do get higher than this, especially towards the end of the season, but Saturday’s matchup will tell us a lot about both clubs.
We’ve said it before this season, but it’s well warranted. Can’t wait.
