• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

The Official TFC/Soccer thread

It has been awhile since we last became preoccupied with the TFC.

Right now, as of last night, they won the First Leg of the Canadian Championship series with a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Fury FC

Perhaps the game wasn't too exciting but the fire in the stands  at Ottawa's  TD Stadium grabbed attention:

[tweet]1019750488768761856[/tweet]

The Toronro FC could see another trip to the CONCACAF Champions League as they had done previously, should they win this Canadian Championship.

Their season has definitely been a disappointment, that being an  understatement.  What with all of the injuries throughout the lineup -- Moor, Mavinga, Auro, Vasquez, and Hernandez -- and throw in Altidore earlier in the year.  Not an encouraging sign but regardless, the TFC struggle to inject respectability back into their season.

TFC play host to the Chicago Fire Saturday at BMO Field.
 
Canadian Champs! 

TFC wins the Voyageurs Cup  with a 5-2 (7-4 aggregate) win over the Vancouver Whitecaps before a packed crowd at BMO Field in Toronto, in the Second Leg matchup of the 2018 Canadian Championship.

Toronto had previously tied 2-2 in the First Leg played in Vancouver.

Jozy Altidore with three, Giovinco and Ricketts with one each, were the offensive heroes.

This game featured the high octane offence that won the Reds the MLS Cup in 2017.  It's also what propelled them to a CONCACAF Champions League Final and earn the respect and admiration of their opponents and the soccer world in general.

As tired a team as the TFC are, this is their third consecutive Canadian Championship and guarantees them another shot as participants at the 2019 CONCACAF Champions  League tournament.

[tweet]1029907268349906947[/tweet]

Story:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/tfc-defeat-whitecaps-capture-three-straight-canadian-championship/

https://theathletic.com/475331/2018/08/16/with-canadian-championship-win-toronto-fc-take-first-step-toward-redemption/
 
It's all about the turf.  Artificial turf vs grass.  The preferred is the latter by far and by wide among the League's players, which includes stars such as TFC's Giovinco, Drogba, Ibrahimovic, and even the great David Beckham.

Most of the complaints are about the turf leading to more injuries amongst the players -- Toronto's Giovinco is convinced that that is part of the reason for TFC's injury woes.

[tweet]1035629732245766144[/tweet]


Euro league stadiums are not exempted neither.

[tweet]1033816351700176896[/tweet]
 
Remember when the Toronto FC ousted Tigres UANL in the CONCACAF Champions League Quarter-Finals last Spring?

Well, not this time.

In the inaugural  Campeones Cup, played at BMO Field Wednesday evening, Tigres UANL  certainly wasted little time in making sure they'd end up on the winner's ledge, in defeating TFC 3-1.  Not only did they get a trophy but were awarded $340,000 (total) winner's purse.

For the TFC, it was yet another stigma in a miserable season.  Toronto coveted the award in hoping to add to their already impressive arsenal in that department, but the Mexicans obviously had other plans to make sure it would stick.  Not that it was easy since the TFC has racked up plenty of respect on that side of the border.

"It wasn't easy because TFC has a good team and has good-quality players," Tigres coach Ricardo (Tuca) Ferretti said after the match through an interpreter.
Click to expand...

"It's a tough team," midfielder Jonathan Osorio said of Tigres. "They deserved to win today and congratulations to them."
Click to expand...


https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/mexico-apos-tigres-downs-toronto-023554015.html


Toronto is currently out of a playoff spot, nine points out with six games remaining in the season.

The race for the post-season push begins Saturday when the TFC visit the New York Red Bull

GO TFC!
 
Leicester City owner/chairman killed in helicopter crash leaving the stadium after game last night

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-46013381

The man who masterminded one of the biggest shock league win of certainly recent sports history if not all time
 
Toronto FC...where do they go from here?  Here meaning they've been out of the playoffs for this season.  Yes, the defending MLS Champions TFC.

From the get-go, 2018 definitely wasn't going to be Toronto's year, not with all of the injuries and 'lack of focus' particularly having gone from a high (CONCACAF Champions League finalists) plus all of the records they set in their championship season.  We can also add the fatigue factor.  Heck, the TFC kept playing way past December (Championship win) recommencing in the Spring all the way until season opener.

It could be that fatigue played a part in the injury department.  Someone made a mention of the turf -- complaints by Giovinco -- that it makes it difficult for the players resulting in greater risk of injury.  Action will be taken here:

[tweet]1057284118948376576[/tweet]


Some decisions need to be made and improvements addressed, but for the most part, this team needs to regroup.  The injuries definitely had a negative impact on the team offensively and defensively overall.

Let's hope next season, all begins on a positive note.


https://www.wakingthered.com/toronto-fc/2018/10/31/18035914/2018-was-a-horror-story-for-toronto-fc-what-now-mls-tfc-tim-bezbatchenko-greg-vanney-ccl-concacaf
 
For the record, the Toronto FC finished ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-6-18 (w/d/l), a goal differential of -5; 59 GF & 64 GA  and a total of 36 points -- 45 back of first-place finisher NY Red Bull.  (The top six teams make the playoffs and the TFC was 14-15 points back of sixth-place Philadelphia Union).

What a difference a year made. 

Better luck next season TFC.


Source:  MLS.com
 
So on Saturday night just past I went to see Real Madrid v Valencia in the Santiago Bernabeu. What an incredible sporting arena and experience. Incredible atmosphere.

Also did the tour of the stadium and their trophy room is something else

https://twitter.com/the_real_arnk/status/1070048827078516736
 
The Toronto FC will begin play in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League against Club Atletico Independiente of Panama, in Panama, on February 19th.  This will be the First Leg with the Second Leg taking place in Toronto February 26.

The winner of that matchup goes to the Quarter-Finals against either of Kansas Sporting or Club Toluca Deportivo (of Mexico) in March.

After that it will be on to the Semi-Final, and etcetera.

Wishing TFC all the luck it needs to hopefully, this time, make it all the way to the Final again and emerge as Champions.

GO TFC!


Story:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/tfc/2018/12/19/toronto-fc-to-open-concacaf-champions-league-on-feb-19-in-la-chorrera-panama.html
 
Ciao, Seba!

Sebastian Giovinco a.k.a. "La Formica Atomica" ("The Atomic Ant") is now a member of the Suadi Arabian club Al-Hilal. 

In a bid to curtail spending -- the TFC were the highest salaried team in MLS -- Toronto's new GM Ali Curtis has begun to clean house, so to speak.  What better way than starting with your highest-paid superstar player (& fan favourite).

Hence the transfer of Giovinco to Al-Hilal, with quite possibly more of the same to come.  The TFC did not offer Giovinco an extension which opened the way for the transfer.

According to TFC President Bill Manning, negotiations with Giovincos agent were dificult in terms of salary, which gave the club little choice other than to initiate the transfer.


https://www.wakingthered.com/2019/2/2/18204663/toronto-fc-giovinco-awkward-transfers-2019-mls-ali-curtis

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/tfc-president-giovinco-wouldnt-take-pay-cut-mls/
 
Meet newest TFC player American Terrence Boyd, who starred for German SV Darmstadt.

?I?m a player who?s playing with commitment,? he added. ?My motto is to give everything I?ve got on every game day and in practice. Because of the way I was raised ? I was raised by hard-working people ? I don?t take this job for granted. I just love playing football and I love to give it all I got and hopefully with my power up front I can help the team win and force assists and goals.?
Click to expand...

Story:
https://torontosun.com/sports/soccer/mls/toronto-fc/newest-member-of-tfc-ready-to-hit-the-pitch
 
Ugh-ly!

Some way for a team to begin a tournament and have their hopes quashed in the first game of a two-game set. 

This is exactly what happened in Panama yesterday in the First Leg of the 2019 CONCAF Champions League, as Panamanian Club Independiente whiplashed Toronto FC 4-0.

The TFC did not have their roster at full strength, and not just through injuries but the ominous lack of two of their best -- Giovinco and Vasquez -- both gone through transfers.

Looks like the rebuild is going to be painful for Reds fans, even though TFC GM Ali Curtis has promised that the club will be sporting a solid roster that competes.  Blah, blah, blah.

The Second (return) Leg will be played at BMO Field in Toronto on Tuesday February 26.  In order to have any chance of advancing, the TFC need to score five goals and limit Club Independiente to 0 (5-4 aggregate in other words).  Think it's an impossibility?  Almost, and with the way the Reds are currently playing, a given.

We'll see next week.

Story:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/tfc-embarrassed-1st-leg-concacaf-champions-league-series/
 
The cold temperatures didn't help to disrupt the team from Panama that so often plays in balmy conditions.  No, nothing.

Club (Athletico) Independiente wins aggregate 5-1 in a 1-1 draw in the Second Leg rematch of the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, this eliminating Toronto FC in the Round of 16.
Even though the TFC tried valiantly -- injuries & a delpleted roster lacking scoring punch, plus the weather - overcoming the 4-0 First Leg defeat simply proved too much. (Toronto would have had to win 5-1 to win the aggregate).

As disappointed as the team and the fans are, and without the team's top players (Giovonco, Vasquez), gone via transfers, the TFC has inked new players to fill out the vacant spots -- Spanish striker Pozuelo, Altidore (new contract), French League goalkeeper Quentin Westburg, and Jakob Shaffelburg.

Toronto starts its MLS season opener at BMO Field Saturday March 2 when they play the Philadelphia Union.


https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-toronto-fc-put-in-deep-freeze-by-panamanians-in-champions-league/
 
hockeyfan1 said:
The cold temperatures didn't help to disrupt the team from Panama that so often plays in balmy conditions.  No, nothing.

Club (Athletico) Independiente wins aggregate 5-1 in a 1-1 draw in the Second Leg rematch of the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, this eliminating Toronto FC in the Round of 16.
Even though the TFC tried valiantly -- injuries & a delpleted roster lacking scoring punch, plus the weather - overcoming the 4-0 First Leg defeat simply proved too much. (Toronto would have had to win 5-1 to win the aggregate).
Click to expand...

Well, if Toronto had won 5-1, having lost 4-0 away, making the aggregate score 5-5 Independiente would have gone through on the away goals rule.

Toronto would have needed to win 6-1. Or 5-0. Or 7-2. By 5 clear goals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About Us

This website is NOT associated with the Toronto Maple Leafs or the NHL.


It is operated by Rick Couchman and Jeff Lewis.
Back
Top