50/50 Ball: #SportingKC – Toronto FC
Photo by Kory Briton for Sporting KC and Upper 90 Photography
Sporting KC and Toronto FC came into this match after both having an extended MLS break. Sporting had played more recently in their US Open Cup win over the Colorado Rapids, but the real story is Toronto FC came into this match with a brand new head coach after the team won just one game in their first 10 matches with the most recent match being a victory but it was obviously too little too late. Sporting pretty much had everything to lose, but would come out looking to dominate play and for the most part did that.
SPORTING
For all the dominating play that Sporting had there were also some moments that you could almost say that Toronto just as easily been in Sporting's position with the scoring. Sporting did miss a lot of their own chances and could of also easily won 5-0, but had to hold Toronto for most of the match as Toronto was doing everything they could to just get on the score board and Sporting's defense really in my opinion let the rest of the team down, but luckily the GK/Captain Nielsen and the goal post, yes both of them and in one shot, saved the defense from having to pick the ball out of the back of the net. I did think that Sporting's offense was on fire and besides the two goals that they did score could of easily had three more goals but that is why you play the game.
TORONTO FC
Wow! That is really all I wish I could say about this team in this match up, but then I wouldn't be much of a writer, for the little amount of a writer that I actually am, and so I will now tell you some of the things that I saw. I will come out and say that I did like the offense that Toronto was creating and they really should of scored and with a little bit better of a team they could of easily won this game. Its easy to see how they could of been this decent team to make it into the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League. For as good as they looked they looked equally if not more bad. Most of the shots they took were bad, although you could say that they just had a bad night with finishing their shots, but obviously it has been a problem for them otherwise they would have more than just one win now after playing 11 games and that does not include any draws as they don't have any others as well.
This game really, in the words of Toronto FC's new head coach "A tale of two halfs", but Toronto just couldn't get anything to go in their favor even when they get the onside call and are clearly offsides yet still bang the ball literally off both post and then in another instance get a break away and have Sporting's GK Nielsen make a shutout holding foot save that could of easily swung the momentum in Toronto's favor.
McBeth