Toronto Must Tame Qwest Crowd

Alan Gordon

Toronto FC hopes to quiet the Qwest Field crowd in Seattle on Saturday evening (10 p.m. ET on GOL TV Canada^).Sounders FC extended their unbeaten streak to five games in difficult circumstances last weekend, a 1-0 win against the Colorado Rapids. Toronto hasn’t won in five league games, last a 1-1 controversial home draw with the Columbus Crew, but are coming off a 3-0 victory against FC Edmonton of the NASL at midweek in the opening leg of Nutrilite Canadian Championship semifinals.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS

Seattle Sounders FC ran their undefeated streak to five games, getting the game’s lone goal in a victory against a 10- man Colorado Rapids on Friday evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Sounders FC have 9 points from 7 games on the season, sitting in a tie for third place in the Western Conference.

LAST MATCH


* The match turned early. In the third minute, Rapids midfielder Brian Mullan went in with a two-footed sliding tackle on Sounders winger Steve Zakuani and was given a straight red card. Zakuani was taken off on a stretcher and immediately transported to the hospital to undergo X-rays for a broken leg.

* In the 19th minute, Sounders FC finally took advantage. O'Brian White laid the ball off to Mauro Rosales, who subsequently found Fredy Montero at the edge of the penalty area. The Colombian then slipped the ball under ‘keeper Matt Pickens for his first goal of the season.

* Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid made two changes to the team that came back for a 1-1 tie with Philadelphia Union at PPL Park. Tyson Wahl started at left back for Leo Gonzalez, and Fredy Montero came back into the team for Erik Friberg.

* SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Kasey Keller - James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Tyson Wahl - Mauro Rosales (Erik Friberg 74), Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani (Alvaro Fernandez 9 / Leo Gonzalez 82) - Fredy Montero, O'Brian White.

[inline_node:6626]TORONTO FC

* Toronto FC saw their winless streak reach five games, the Columbus Crew coming back for a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field. TFC has 7 points from 7 games on the season, in a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

LAST MATCH


* Winless all-time vs. their Trillium Cup foes, Toronto FC took the lead in the 41st minute. Tony Tchani latched on to a through ball from Julian de Guzman and coolly slotted his second career goal past Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer.

* But before the match restarted he was sent off, having earned his second yellow card for leaping into the BMO Field crowd in celebration after he earned a first during a scrap with the Crew’s Kevin Burns in the 37th minute.

RELATED: One Law, Two Interpretations

* The Crew took advantage of the man-up situation just four minutes into the second half. Emilio Renteria scored his first goal of the season, sending a glancing header inside the far post from a Sebastian Miranda cross.

* TFC head coach Aron Winter made three changes to the team that fell 3-0 to D.C. United at BMO Field. Dan Gargan, Dicoy Williams and Alan Gordon came into the team, for Oscar Cordon, Alen Stevanovic and the suspended Ty Harden.

* TORONTO FC (4-4-2): Stefan Frei - Dan Gargan, Dicoy Williams, Adrian Cann, Danleigh Borman - Jacob Peterson, Julian de Guzman, Tony Tchani (sent off 41), Maicon Santos (Joao Plata 77) - Alan Gordon (Mikael Yourassowsky 46), Javier Martina (Richard Eckersley 64).


REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. SAR (bench): Peter Manikowski; JAR (opposite): Jeff Muschik; 4th: Armando Villarreal

Salazar MLS Career: 127 games; fouls called/gm: 27.0; Yellow cards/gm: 3.5; Red cards: 39; Penalties: 48

INJURY REPORT

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC – OUT: MF Steve Zakuani (R leg fracture); PROBABLE: FW Pat Noonan (R quad strain)

TORONTO FC – OUT: MF Elbekay Bouchiba (R knee surgery recovery); FW Keith Makubuya (adductor strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Adrian Cann (pectoral contusion); FW Alan Gordon (adductor tightness); MF Alen Stevanovic (adductor strain); DF Nana Attakora (adductor tightness); MF Gianluca Zavarise (adductor tightness)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES

None

SUSPENDED

Toronto - Tony Tchani (through May 1)

WARNINGS

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD - none

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS - Seattle: Leo Gonzalez … Toronto: Julian de Guzman; Dan Gargan

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (4 meetings): Sounders FC 2 wins, 5 goals … Toronto FC 1 win, 4 goals … Ties 1

AT QWEST FIELD (2 meetings): Sounders FC 1 wins, 3 goals … Toronto FC 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 1

RETURN MATCH: June 18: Toronto FC v. Seattle Sounders FC, 7 p.m. ET on GOL TV Canada

LAST YEAR (MLS)

April 25, 2010: Toronto 2-0 Seattle (De Rosario 58' White 76')

October 2, 2010: Seattle 3-2 Toronto (Zakuani 21' Nkufo 26' Nyassi 59' – De Rosario 16' Barrett 88')

Coaches' record: Aron Winter vs. SEA: first game … Sigi Schmid v TOR: P10 W5 L1 D4

* Toronto FC have won just one of the four all-time meetings, that a 2-0 win last April 25 at BMO Field.

^All Major League Soccer matches are being produced in crystal clear High Definition including the 21 Toronto FC games on GOL TV Canada. Canada's only 24-hour soccer channel is working hard with its distribution partners on satellite and cable to make GOL TV HD available. Please contact your service provider to request GOL TV Canada HD.