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denime
06-21-2008, 05:38 AM
TFC braces for battle with weary Wizards

TORONTO — There isn't too much sorcery left in the road-weary cleats of the cellar-dwelling Kansas City Wizards, but their spell of bad luck could just as easily be on the other foot, Toronto FC coach John Carver acknowledges.

"Kansas City are at the bottom of the conference, but they have just had a long road trip," Carver said. "We know what that is all about, and if the roles would have been reversed, we might have been in the same situation."
Toronto, 6-4-2 and in third place in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, will put a seven-game undefeated streak on the line today at BMO Field against the slumping Wizards, 3-5-3, who are riding a six-game winless string.
The Wizards' skid started on April 26 when Toronto midfielder Amado Guevara scored both goals in a 2-0 win at BMO Field.

Toronto has a miserable 1-4 record on the road. Their only win was over the Los Angeles Galaxy on April 13.
After a 3-1 drubbing by the Houston Dynamo two weekends ago, Carver even asked members of the media for their advice on how to break that string and what things he should do differently.

Read more (http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080621.wspt-torfc-preview-20/GSStory/GlobeSportsSoccer/home)


TFC hopes to extend home unbeaten run vs. K.C.

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Toronto FC managed to extend its home unbeaten streak to nine games - including all seven this season - without a few starters last weekend and could return to full strength Saturday against the Kansas City Wizards.
Toronto FC defeated the Colorado Rapids, 3-1, at BMO Field last week to move to third in the Eastern Conference and win for the fifth time in seven home games this season - it has ties in its other two.
Starting goalie Greg Sutton, defender Jim Brennan and midfielders Amado Guevara Maurice Edu were all on international duty last weekend. Guevara (Honduras) and Edu (United States) will be back, and Sutton and Brennan - both Canadians - may return.
Canada plays St. Vincent & Grenadines on Friday in the second leg of its 2010 World Cup qualifying series. Canada won the first leg, 3-0, on the road and if the pair doesn't play for Canada, they should start against the Wizards.
"If they are not involved in the game, then hopefully we can use them in the squad at the weekend," Toronto FC coach John Carver said. "I've got to pick a side that I think can win the game, but I've got to be fair to the lads here as well."
Toronto didn't look like it was missing anyone last week with midfielder Rohan Ricketts enjoying a breakout performance. Ricketts scored two goals in the win.
The English midfielder is overshadowed with Guevara, Edu and Laurent Robert all in midfield, but his strong performances finally resulted in goals last week.

read more (http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/tsnstory.html?id=6303868)



De Rosario, Gerba lift Canada into next round of World Cup qualifying

The 11,502 who turned out on a damp, cool night to Saputo Stadium were not disappointed in what they saw from Canada's national soccer team.
Dwayne De Rosario and Ali Gerba each scored two goals as Canada posted a clear 4-1 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a World Cup qualifying match Friday night.
Canada won the two-game series 7-1 on aggregate and advanced to the group stage of qualifying in the CONCACAF zone — a tough round robin tournament that begins in August against Mexico, Honduras and Jamaica.
"Most importantly, we got the result," said De Rosario. "It's nice to play well and score, but we got the result.
"The fans were really into the game, which is very important, and hopefully we'll continue this run."
Marlon James delighted the enthusiastic group of St. Vincent supporters in the stands with a late goal for the visitors, who pressed their attack from the start in a bid for goals after dropping a 3-0 decision in the opening leg at home last Sunday.
The talk all week has been how Canada's players want to make Saputo Stadium their home because it is in the East, which makes travel easier from their European clubs, and because it has a grass field. But the Canadian Soccer Association has commitments for games at BMO Field in Toronto, which has a synthetic surface.
The first game of the next round is currently scheduled for Aug. 20 against Jamaica at BMO Field.

Read more (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2008/06/20/canada-worldcup-qualifer-stvincent.html)


Dallas' loss is TFC's gain
Ibrahim has huge potential By DEAN MCNULTY (dean.mcnulty@sunmedia.ca) -- Sun Media


Abdus Ibrahim is just 16-years-old and until last week, he was playing professional soccer in Dallas, some 1,500 kms from his family's home in Minneapolis, Minn.
Sure, he was earning $103,000 US -- an allowance fit for prince -- after being signed by Major League Soccer's Dallas FC, but it came at the price of loneliness for Ibrahim, who is called 'Ibby' by coaches and teammates alike.
It got so bad that he told Dallas management he was ready to quit the sport altogether rather than be separated from his family any longer.
LARGE INVESTMENT
Dallas, who had invested a first round draft pick in the then 15-year-old in 2007, was faced with losing him and getting nothing in return.

A trade was an option, but with no MLS franchise in Minneapolis, all seemed doomed until Ibrahim informed them he had family-- an uncle -- in Toronto.
Toronto FC director of soccer Mo Johnston got involved and made a deal that would bring the youngster north of the border for an exchange of draft picks next year and a piece of any future transfer fee that might come the club's way.
Yesterday, the 6-footer was scrimmaging with TFC at BMO Field as if he had been there all season.
"I am really pleased to be here with this club," he said after a 90 minute workout under the watchful eye of coach John Carver. "It is everything I expected it to be."

Read more (http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/TorontoFC/2008/06/20/5936911-sun.html)


Toronto FC begin use of new soccer software
Program allows coaches to collect wide range of statistics

TORONTO -- Eagle-eyed fans might have noticed eight newly installed video cameras hanging above the BMO Field press box at Toronto FC's game against the Colorado Rapids last Saturday. These specialized cameras provided a better look at the match not for the TV viewers at home, but rather for the TFC coaching staff. Saturday's game marked TFC's first use of software designed by ProZone, a Leeds, England-based sports analysis company. Through those eight cameras, virtually every piece of information available about a soccer game is collected, analyzed and made available for a club to learn from.
Toronto head coach John Carver showed off his club's newest toy during a demonstration session in the Reds locker room on Thursday. Carver showed a multitude of different statistics collected by ProZone from the Rapids match -- not just standard numbers like corners taken and shots on goal, but also a player's passing tendencies, recovery time, positioning trends, what he did when he had possession of the ball, and more.
"It's like Big Brother," Carver joked. "You can't hide."
After the cameras recorded Saturday's match, a DVD was sent to ProZone's central office in England. The full compilation of stats was back in Toronto by last Monday, giving the Reds almost a full week to examine and learn from the information before their next game, this Saturday against Kansas City. Likewise, a DVD of an opponent's last match could be sent, analyzed and returned to Toronto in order to be closely watched before the next game.

Read more (http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080620&content_id=167192&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)


Toronto FC has help winging in from Montreal

By DEAN MCNULTY (dean.mcnulty@sunmedia.ca), SUN MEDIA

Toronto FC coach John Carver has arranged to have his two Canadian internationals -- defender Jim Brennan and goalkeeper Greg Sutton -- flown in from Montreal this morning in case he needs them for today's Major League Soccer game at BMO Field.
The pair were plucked from TFC for Canada's national team's game last night against St. Vincent & the Grenadines in Stage II of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Carver indicated that if either Brennan or Sutton only play as substitutes for the national team, he might even pen them into his starting 11 against Kansas City Wizards at BMO.
"We have arranged for a flight to get them back (to Toronto this morning)," Carver said. "It gives us an option we might not have had otherwise."
Carver also welcomed the return of several other key internationals, who have been away with their national teams.

"All the lads (Maurice Edu, USA, Amado Guevara, Honduras, Tyrone Marshall, Jamaica) have come back in good shape, with no apparent injuries," he said.
If there is a concern for the TFC coach, it will be who not to start as the regulars return.

Read more (http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2008/06/21/5944636-sun.html)


SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/SUNshineGirl/home.html):noidea:

scooter
06-21-2008, 08:14 AM
mornin
come on you reds
lets hope the cmnt can get the grass thing going

London
06-21-2008, 08:35 AM
The first game of the next round is currently scheduled for Aug. 20 against Jamaica at BMO Field

while i am happy they are playing at BMO, what is up with a wedsnday game!!!
a weekend game would fill the stadium

denime
06-21-2008, 08:39 AM
FIFA WCQ schedule :noidea: