Two teams needing to start to put together wins if they are going to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs meet Sunday evening when the Chicago Fire play host to Toronto FC. The Fire are coming off a 15th draw this season, an MLS single-season record, in a 1-1 result Thursday with D.C. United. TFC put an end to a six-game league winless streak in MLS play last weekend, a 1-0 home win versus Real Salt Lake, then won in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage at midweek.
RELATED: Chicago-Toronto Broadcast info
RELATED: TFC out to close Chicago
TORONTO FC
Toronto put an end to a six-game MLS winless run, getting the game’s only goal in a victory against Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening at BMO Field. TFC has 23 points from 26 games on the season, sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Their last two MLS road games were 2-2 and 3-3 draws in Portland and D.C.
[inlinenode:6718]LAST MLS MATCH
* The game's lone goal came in the 77th minute. Joao Plata chased down a Matt Stinson cross on the left side, and turned back into the box. He tried to find Peri Marosevic cutting toward goal, but the ball slipped past both he and RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando, settling inside the far post.
* Real hit the woodwork twice in the first half and TFC goalkeeper Milos Kocic made four saves in keeping the clean sheet.
* TFC head coach Aron Winter made five changes to the team that played to a 3-3 tie with D.C. United at RFK Stadium. Milos Kocic came in between the posts for Stefan Frei, and Julian de Guzman, Matt Stinson, Danleigh Borman and Peri Marosevic came in for Doneil Henry, Ashtone Morgan, Terry Dunfield and Ryan Johnson in a new-look team.
TORONTO FC (3-1-3-3): Milos Kocic - Andy Iro (Ty Harden 65), Torsten Frings, Richard Eckersley - Julian de Guzman - Matt Stinson (Doneil Henry 77), Eric Avila, Danleigh Borman - Peri Marosevic, Danny Koevermans (Javier Martina 74), Joao Plata.
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB
The Chicago Fire had their winless streak hit 10 games, once again settling for a share of the points in a 1-1 draw with D.C. United on Thursday evening at Toyota Park. The Fire have 21 points from 24 matches on the year, sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
LAST MLS MATCH
* The Fire took the lead in the 59th minute. Patrick Nyarko rounded Dejan Jakovic on the right flank and sent in a curling cross that United defender Daniel Woolard could only flick into the path of a wide open Grazzini at the back post, and he side-volleyed a shot off substitute goalkeeper Steve Cronin’s hands.
* But United pulled even 14 minutes later. Dwayne De Rosario's deflected cross found Josh Wolff in the area, and after a quick one-two with Quaranta back at the edge of the 18, Wolff hammered the return pass into the roof of the goal from the corner of the six-yard box.
* Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas made no changes to the team that was pulled back into a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena.
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-2-2): Sean Johnson - Dan Gargan, Yamith Cuesta, Jalil Anibaba, Gonzalo Segares - Logan Pause, Pavel Pardo - Sebastian Grazzini (Daniel Paladini 72), Marco Pappa (Diego Chaves 86) – Patrick Nyarko (Orr Barouch 86), Dominic Oduro.
LAST MEETING: Toronto v. Chicago (MLS)
May 14: Toronto 2-2 Chicago (Plata 9, Santos 47 – Pappa 63, Barouch 75)
[inlinenode:7112]* 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.
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)
CHICAGO FIRE (4-1-4-1): Jon Conway - Jalil Anibaba, Cory Gibbs, Yamith Cuesta, Gonzalo Segares – Dan Paladini - Dominic Oduro (Bratislav Ristic 93+), Corben Bone, Gaston Puerari (Orr Barouch 58), Marco Pappa - Diego Chaves (Baggio Husidic 91+).
REFEREE
Paul Ward. SAR (bench): Anthony Vasoli; JAR (opposite): Steven Taylor; 4th: Landis Wiley.
Ward MLS Career: 32 games; Fouls called/game: 23.3; Yellow cards/game: 3.8; Red cards: 11; Penalties: 7
INJURY REPORT
CHICAGO FIRE – OUT: DF Steven Kinney (L groin strain); MF Marko Maric (L ankle posterior capsulitis); DOUBTFUL: DF Mike Banner (R knee meniscectomy)
[inline_node:7630]TORONTO FC – OUT: MF Elbekay Bouchiba (R knee surgery recovery); DF Adrian Cann (R knee surgery recovery); DF Dicoy Williams (R knee surgery recovery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Eddy Viator (L hamstring tightness); MF Leandre Griffit (abdominal strain); MF Eric Avila (R hamstring tightness); PROBABLE: FW Ryan Johnson (ankle sprain); GK Stefan Frei (knee contusion)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: CHI - Diego Chaves, Cory Gibbs, Dominic Oduro, Gonzalo Segares
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHI - Yamith Cuesta, Dan Gargan, Cristian Nazarit, Daniel Paladini, Logan Pause … TOR - Danleigh Borman, Terry Dunfield, Ryan Johnson, Javier Martina, Mikael Yourassowsky
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (10 meetings): Fire 3 wins, 16 goals … Toronto FC 3 wins, 16 goals … Ties 4
AT CHICAGO (4 meetings): Fire 1 wins, 5 goals … Toronto FC 0 wins, 4 goals … Ties 3
* Goals by the Fire’s Marco Pappa and Orr Barouch overcame strikes from TFC’s Joao Plata and Maicon Santos as the teams reached a 2-2 result in their first meeting, May 14 at BMO Field.
* The Fire haven’t won in four meetings vs. Toronto FC. The teams played to a third draw in that time earlier this season; Toronto FC won last year at BMO Field.
* Toronto FC have yet to win at Bridgeview, the teams playing to three draws there, while the Fire have one win (in 2008).
Coaches record: Aron Winter v CHI: P1 W0 L0 D1 … Frank Klopas vs. TOR: first game
