Today’s News, Wednesday , Apr.22

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Mayor fan of grass for Toronto FC
Allison Hanes

Mayor David Miller, who has attended Toronto FC soccer games with his family, said today he would like to see the professional football club play on grass instead of turf.
But when the team and the city brokered a deal for BMO Field at Exhibition Place, part of the agreement hinged on community benefits:
mainly the installation of a big bubble over the playing field in winter for the use of children and community indoor leagues.

"I’d like to see grass there," Mr Miller said. "If there’s going to be grass there we have to find another place to bubble in the winter to provide the place for young soccer players to get a good start in Toronto.
Part of the goal of this stadium was to increase the quality of soccer in Canada and the accessibility to young people."

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Depleted TFC in tough against powerful Chivas
Loss of De Rosario will make it even harder for Toronto to get first win of year at BMO Field
Daniel Girard

Less than one-quarter of the way into the season may be too early to talk about must-win games.
But Toronto FC players, winless in their last four games, clearly understand the importance of tonight's tilt against Chivas USA, the first of three straight at BMO Field.
"It's massive," midfielder Carl Robinson said of the need to get the homestand off to a good start. "If you're going to push for the playoffs, which is our aim, then you've got to win your home games.

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Toronto FC's De Rosario out with hamstring injury, coach Carver fined
cbc.sport

Toronto FC could be without star playmaker Dwayne De Rosario for several weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered in Sunday's game, the team announced Tuesday.
And to add insult to injury, head coach John Carver was fined by Major League Soccer for criticizing the officiating during the same match.
De Rosario, a native of Scarborough, Ont., is scheduled to have a scan to determine the extent of the injury, which he suffered in the 3-2 road loss to FC Dallas.

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TFC face MLS best minus DeRo
By RYAN JOHNSTON

A hamstring injury will keep Dwayne De Rosario out of the lineup when Toronto FC faces the league-best Chivas USA on Wednesday at BMO Field.
De Rosario limped off of Sunday's loss to FC Dallas in the 74th minute.

"He's definitely out for two games and it might be more than that," said coach John Carver at training on Tuesday.
"Building up to the match on Sunday it was an issue of him just having a tight hamstring, but you saw from his reaction that he did tear it."

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TFC look to halt skid against Chivas USA
Reds look to halt skid against unbeaten Red-and-White

The team with the best record in Major League Soccer, Chivas USA, head to the Eastern time zone for the first time this season when they meet a Toronto FC side looking to reverse a recent skid.
Chivas USA are undefeated in five matches on the season, with four victories and league's best defense.
Toronto FC are still looking for a second win on the season, with two losses and two draws in their last four matches.

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TFC dealt another blow
First questionable officiating, then a fine, now the loss of De Rosario to injury
By LANCE HORNBY

So how's it going, John Carver, other than losing your best player for three to four weeks, getting fined almost $1,000, struggling at home and facing undefeated Chivas USA tonight in a jam-packed schedule?
Good thing Toronto FC plays better with the odds against it, such as earning four points in two early away games and a rally that almost grabbed a point Sunday in Dallas.
"We came out the second half dead and buried and put on a better show," Carver said of the game in Dallas. "Maybe we do play better as the underdogs, yes."

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Toronto FC struggles to find its stride
1 point in 3 games
Eric Koreen

Toronto FC cannot quite bury the past.
The third-year club came into this Major League Soccer season with a minimum expectation of making the playoffs.
But after winning its season opener and earning points in its first two road games, Toronto has just one point to show from its last three matches.
And while TFC would like to be focusing on a three-game home stand that starts tonight against league-leading Chivas USA, the club cannot forget what has preceded it.

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MLS Preview: Chivas USA At Toronto FC

Chivas USA head for their first trip to the east coast this season looking to cement their place at the top of the pile.
Toronto FC will look to ignite their home form despite the absence of talisman Dwayne De Rosario following a run of disappointing results.
Managing expectations
Toronto FC seems to revel in the status of underdogs and have so far failed to live up to their preseason hype. They seem unable to overcome their habit of conceding late goals.
The management and players are both at a loss to explain the reason for their late game jitters. Addressing that issue may take some doing, as will filling the boots of the injured De Rosario for the next few weeks.

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Canada U-17 draws Honduras
THE CANADIAN PRESS

TIJUANA, Mexico -- The Canadian men's under-17 soccer team scored drew 1-1 against Honduras on Tuesday at the CONCACAF U-17 soccer championship.

The game, played in withering 30C heat, saw Canada go ahead 1-0 at the 40-minute mark on a penalty kick by Russell Teibert of Niagara Falls, Ont.

The member of the Vancouver Whitecaps' youth program fired into the low corner to put the Canadians ahead.

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