denime
08-24-2008, 08:20 AM
Barrett's goal lifts TFC to draw with Revolution
LARRY MILLSON
TORONTO — It was a game Toronto FC could have won and a game it could have lost so somehow a comeback 1-1 draw Saturday night with the New England Revolution seemed fitting.
Chad Barrett's nifty turn-and-hit goal in the 66th minute off a pass from Rohan Ricketts offset Tyler Twellman's goal against poor marking in the 35th minute in the Major League Soccer match played before an announced crowd of 20,461 at BMO Field.
It was Barrett's second goal in four games since joining Toronto in a trade with the Chicago Fire in late July and his seventh of the season.
Carlos Ruiz, another striker who was obtained by TFC in a trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy this past week, has not yet joined the team. He played in a World Cup a qualifier with Guatemala on Wednesday, a 1-0 loss to the United States, and had some business to tend to in Los Angeles. He is expected to join the team on Monday.
Read more (http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080823.wspttfc23/GSStory/GlobeSportsSoccer/home)
Ruiz, offence missing in action
Morgan Campbell
As last night's 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution wore on, and tiring TFC players blew chances to break the tie, head coach John Carver couldn't help but glance at the bench and wonder if the true difference maker was the guy who wasn't there.
He didn't mean Maurice Edu, who watched yesterday's game from the south stands a day after finalizing his $5 million (U.S.) transfer to Glasgow Rangers.
Instead, Carver pined for Carlos Ruiz, who came to TFC in a mid-week trade with the L.A. Galaxy, but who still hasn't reported.
Amid Internet rumours that a disgruntled Ruiz planned not to report to Toronto, Carver said the Guatemalan striker and former league MVP made a quick trip to Los Angeles after a World Cup qualifier in Guatemala. He said Ruiz has already spoken to team management and wished the squad luck in last night's game.
Carver expects Ruiz to join his new team as soon as tomorrow.
Read more (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Soccer/article/484368)
Toronto FC earns draw with Revolution
John F. Molinaro
Moral victories are fine, but Toronto FC could use the real kind right about now.
Toronto battled to a hard-fought 1-1 tie with the New England Revolution on Saturday night at BMO Field, a result that, while not damaging, does little to bolster the Canadian club's chances of qualifying for Major League Soccer's playoffs.
New England improved its league-best mark to 11-6-4, while Toronto (7-9-5) remains near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
With one win in their last nine contests and only nine games left on the schedule, Toronto needs to start winning again — and soon — if it is to have any hope of making the post-season.
"We played against a very good team today and if we keep performing like that we'll get into the playoffs, I have no doubt about that," midfielder Carl Robinson told CBCSports.ca.
Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz, recently acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy, did not dress for Toronto, as he was still in California tending to personal matters.
Read more (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2008/08/23/mls-revolution-torontofc.html)
TFC fails to finish the job
Reds squander good scoring chances to settle for draw
By FRANK ZICARELLI, SUN MEDIA
Toronto FC was fit to be tied last night.
And with every point meaningful in a desperate playoff push, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing for a franchise that underwent a recent roster upheaval.
A point taken, but more importantly in the big picture are the two points squandered as the host Reds tied the mighty New England Revolution 1-1 at BMO Field.
In the final analysis, TFC should have won this game.
In the final moments, it also was a game TFC could have lost had 'keeper Greg Sutton not produced a save and defender Julius James not blocked a New England salvo.
In a season of should-haves, the Reds should have scored at least three times, only to find heartache.
Unless it discovers a finish and more polish in defending its box, TFC's dash to the finish line and the end of the season, which has nine games remaining, will come up short.
Read more (http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2008/08/24/6555961-sun.html)
Barrett lifts Toronto FC to draw with Revs
THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO -- His team had great chances to win and lose, so Toronto FC head coach John Carver wasn't about to complain about a 1-1 draw with the league-leading New England Revolution in Major League Soccer action on Saturday night at BMO Field.
"I thought we deserved to get something more, yet we could have lost it at the end," Carver said after his team's entertaining game against the three-time reigning MLS runner-up before a sellout crowd of 20,461.
"(Goaltender Greg) Sutton made a great save and (defender Julius) James made a fantastic block (to preserve the tie)."
Indeed, Sutton had to dive right to make an outstanding stop on Steve Ralston before James got in front of a shot from Khano Smith in the dying seconds to push Toronto (7-9-5) within two points of a tie for the final MLS playoff spot.
But after Toronto forward Chad Barrett scored a beautiful goal to tie it at 1-1 in the 66th minute, the home side had several excellent opportunities to pull out three points.
Read more (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2008/08/23/barrett_tfc_goal/)
In Mo's world, waving the white flag is a victory
Cathal Kelly (http://www.thestar.com/opinion/columnists/94561)
We have no clue who else is in the running, but we're going to take a chance and guarantee that Toronto FC's Mo Johnston has MLSE Employee of the Month sewed up for August.
At the outset of the year, MLSE gave him zero dollars to populate his team with players. The league pays the salaries. This week, Johnston gave them more than $3 million back. How they spend it isn't entirely up to them, but they don't hire accountants for nothing.
This is infomercial stuff: You give me nothing. I give you money. Cliff Fletcher and Bryan Colangelo must be getting some searching looks in the hallway.
No wonder MLSE thinks soccer's such a blast. This is the sort of math that made Enron great. So, brilliant work. Shame about the team.
Though both moves were inevitable, for very different reasons, selling Maurice Edu and waiving Laurent Robert amounted to giving up on the 2008 season. Edu was the team's best player. Robert was its most talented. The two things are different. For one, Edu cared.
"It hurts to leave right now," Edu said yesterday.
Robert didn't give a fig. His on-field apathy was often painful to watch. However, the diffident Frenchman was still the most likely Toronto player to create a goal from nothing.
FC is still on the edges of the playoff race, with only nine games left. But they gave up a big plus and clipped a force multiplier. Based on last night's lack of evidence, they replaced them with a pair of question marks. Johann Smith played only five minutes. Carlos Ruiz is still lost in transit. The side looked spirited in tying the Revolution, but the terminal flaw – an inability to finish – still glares.
How Johnston is getting away with white-flag waving is the greater trick. Somehow, the Toronto FC conversation has been diverted away from the team and focused entirely on where they play.
Read more (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Soccer/article/484374)
Reds see progress in draw with Revs
Tactical change sparks Toronto against New England
TORONTO -- After his side absorbed a 2-1 defeat to New England on June 28, Toronto FC coach John Carver knew some changes were in order for Saturday's rematch between the two Eastern Conference rivals. "If you cast your mind back to when we played in New England, we struggled playing 4-4-2 against them because ... they played 3-5-2 then," Carver said. "I said we wouldn't be able to handle their three [midfielders] inside so I had to play with three in there."
The Reds came out in the 3-5-2 formation on Saturday with backs Jim Brennan and Marvell Wynne moving up on the wings, and usual winger Rohan Ricketts moving up to play forward alongside Chad Barrett. The plan ended up working out for the best as Ricketts and Barrett combined for TFC's only goal in a 1-1 tie with the Revolution.
Read more (http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080823&content_id=182728&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)
http://i38.tinypic.com/rbwdtx.jpg
SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/SUNshineGirl/home.html)
LARRY MILLSON
TORONTO — It was a game Toronto FC could have won and a game it could have lost so somehow a comeback 1-1 draw Saturday night with the New England Revolution seemed fitting.
Chad Barrett's nifty turn-and-hit goal in the 66th minute off a pass from Rohan Ricketts offset Tyler Twellman's goal against poor marking in the 35th minute in the Major League Soccer match played before an announced crowd of 20,461 at BMO Field.
It was Barrett's second goal in four games since joining Toronto in a trade with the Chicago Fire in late July and his seventh of the season.
Carlos Ruiz, another striker who was obtained by TFC in a trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy this past week, has not yet joined the team. He played in a World Cup a qualifier with Guatemala on Wednesday, a 1-0 loss to the United States, and had some business to tend to in Los Angeles. He is expected to join the team on Monday.
Read more (http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080823.wspttfc23/GSStory/GlobeSportsSoccer/home)
Ruiz, offence missing in action
Morgan Campbell
As last night's 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution wore on, and tiring TFC players blew chances to break the tie, head coach John Carver couldn't help but glance at the bench and wonder if the true difference maker was the guy who wasn't there.
He didn't mean Maurice Edu, who watched yesterday's game from the south stands a day after finalizing his $5 million (U.S.) transfer to Glasgow Rangers.
Instead, Carver pined for Carlos Ruiz, who came to TFC in a mid-week trade with the L.A. Galaxy, but who still hasn't reported.
Amid Internet rumours that a disgruntled Ruiz planned not to report to Toronto, Carver said the Guatemalan striker and former league MVP made a quick trip to Los Angeles after a World Cup qualifier in Guatemala. He said Ruiz has already spoken to team management and wished the squad luck in last night's game.
Carver expects Ruiz to join his new team as soon as tomorrow.
Read more (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Soccer/article/484368)
Toronto FC earns draw with Revolution
John F. Molinaro
Moral victories are fine, but Toronto FC could use the real kind right about now.
Toronto battled to a hard-fought 1-1 tie with the New England Revolution on Saturday night at BMO Field, a result that, while not damaging, does little to bolster the Canadian club's chances of qualifying for Major League Soccer's playoffs.
New England improved its league-best mark to 11-6-4, while Toronto (7-9-5) remains near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
With one win in their last nine contests and only nine games left on the schedule, Toronto needs to start winning again — and soon — if it is to have any hope of making the post-season.
"We played against a very good team today and if we keep performing like that we'll get into the playoffs, I have no doubt about that," midfielder Carl Robinson told CBCSports.ca.
Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz, recently acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy, did not dress for Toronto, as he was still in California tending to personal matters.
Read more (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2008/08/23/mls-revolution-torontofc.html)
TFC fails to finish the job
Reds squander good scoring chances to settle for draw
By FRANK ZICARELLI, SUN MEDIA
Toronto FC was fit to be tied last night.
And with every point meaningful in a desperate playoff push, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing for a franchise that underwent a recent roster upheaval.
A point taken, but more importantly in the big picture are the two points squandered as the host Reds tied the mighty New England Revolution 1-1 at BMO Field.
In the final analysis, TFC should have won this game.
In the final moments, it also was a game TFC could have lost had 'keeper Greg Sutton not produced a save and defender Julius James not blocked a New England salvo.
In a season of should-haves, the Reds should have scored at least three times, only to find heartache.
Unless it discovers a finish and more polish in defending its box, TFC's dash to the finish line and the end of the season, which has nine games remaining, will come up short.
Read more (http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2008/08/24/6555961-sun.html)
Barrett lifts Toronto FC to draw with Revs
THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO -- His team had great chances to win and lose, so Toronto FC head coach John Carver wasn't about to complain about a 1-1 draw with the league-leading New England Revolution in Major League Soccer action on Saturday night at BMO Field.
"I thought we deserved to get something more, yet we could have lost it at the end," Carver said after his team's entertaining game against the three-time reigning MLS runner-up before a sellout crowd of 20,461.
"(Goaltender Greg) Sutton made a great save and (defender Julius) James made a fantastic block (to preserve the tie)."
Indeed, Sutton had to dive right to make an outstanding stop on Steve Ralston before James got in front of a shot from Khano Smith in the dying seconds to push Toronto (7-9-5) within two points of a tie for the final MLS playoff spot.
But after Toronto forward Chad Barrett scored a beautiful goal to tie it at 1-1 in the 66th minute, the home side had several excellent opportunities to pull out three points.
Read more (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2008/08/23/barrett_tfc_goal/)
In Mo's world, waving the white flag is a victory
Cathal Kelly (http://www.thestar.com/opinion/columnists/94561)
We have no clue who else is in the running, but we're going to take a chance and guarantee that Toronto FC's Mo Johnston has MLSE Employee of the Month sewed up for August.
At the outset of the year, MLSE gave him zero dollars to populate his team with players. The league pays the salaries. This week, Johnston gave them more than $3 million back. How they spend it isn't entirely up to them, but they don't hire accountants for nothing.
This is infomercial stuff: You give me nothing. I give you money. Cliff Fletcher and Bryan Colangelo must be getting some searching looks in the hallway.
No wonder MLSE thinks soccer's such a blast. This is the sort of math that made Enron great. So, brilliant work. Shame about the team.
Though both moves were inevitable, for very different reasons, selling Maurice Edu and waiving Laurent Robert amounted to giving up on the 2008 season. Edu was the team's best player. Robert was its most talented. The two things are different. For one, Edu cared.
"It hurts to leave right now," Edu said yesterday.
Robert didn't give a fig. His on-field apathy was often painful to watch. However, the diffident Frenchman was still the most likely Toronto player to create a goal from nothing.
FC is still on the edges of the playoff race, with only nine games left. But they gave up a big plus and clipped a force multiplier. Based on last night's lack of evidence, they replaced them with a pair of question marks. Johann Smith played only five minutes. Carlos Ruiz is still lost in transit. The side looked spirited in tying the Revolution, but the terminal flaw – an inability to finish – still glares.
How Johnston is getting away with white-flag waving is the greater trick. Somehow, the Toronto FC conversation has been diverted away from the team and focused entirely on where they play.
Read more (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Soccer/article/484374)
Reds see progress in draw with Revs
Tactical change sparks Toronto against New England
TORONTO -- After his side absorbed a 2-1 defeat to New England on June 28, Toronto FC coach John Carver knew some changes were in order for Saturday's rematch between the two Eastern Conference rivals. "If you cast your mind back to when we played in New England, we struggled playing 4-4-2 against them because ... they played 3-5-2 then," Carver said. "I said we wouldn't be able to handle their three [midfielders] inside so I had to play with three in there."
The Reds came out in the 3-5-2 formation on Saturday with backs Jim Brennan and Marvell Wynne moving up on the wings, and usual winger Rohan Ricketts moving up to play forward alongside Chad Barrett. The plan ended up working out for the best as Ricketts and Barrett combined for TFC's only goal in a 1-1 tie with the Revolution.
Read more (http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080823&content_id=182728&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)
http://i38.tinypic.com/rbwdtx.jpg
SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/SUNshineGirl/home.html)