TORONTO – Toronto FC didn’t make excuses after a 2-0 loss to potential playoff opponent Columbus Crew SC Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
It was the Reds first loss since Sept. 16, ending a run of four straight home wins and letting some wind out of their sails as they navigate towards the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs after booking their berth midweek.
“We weren't as sharp as we needed to be with the ball,” head coach Greg Vanney said. “There were too many missed passes, short passes. Too many stray passes.”
“[Columbus] are always going to be a good team with the ball,” Vanney continued. “That is their thing, but you have to have your share of the ball; create your chances to be dangerous. Today it took us too long to get into that mold. We needed to be sharper and more dangerous; clear in our attacking thoughts.”
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It was a “disappointing result” for Michael Bradley: “We gave up a soft goal before halftime. We tried to push hard and get back into it, [we had] a few good chances. They're able to step in and get the second goal.”
And while Toronto didn’t resort to explaining away the loss, there were plenty of possible excuses:
Toronto were forced into several changes, missing two would-be starters to injury – Jonathan Osorio and Damien Perquis – another to suspension for a strange red card – Jozy Altidore – and Joe Bendik was making his first start in goal since a mid-August loss to New York Red Bulls.
Oh, and many of the home fans thought a foul call should have negated Columbus' first goal as Justin Morrow was blocked off by Ethan Finlay leading to the corner kick that Finlay finished off at the back post.
Though Vanney's initial impression was that Morrow was fouled, an opinion shared by Bradley, neither singled that out as the reason for the loss.
Nor would Bradley blame unequal rest for the defeat, waiving away the 11-day discrepancy with a dismissive “not really.”
Vanney preferred to emphasize the positives: “We got a lot of guys minutes: Herc [Gomez] has gotten minutes in the last two, Luke [Moore] came on and did very well, Robbie [Findley] got himself back in the flow. A lot of guys who are going to be match ready as we approach this final run.”
“For [Bendik] it was an opportunity to feel the game again,” Vanney added, “should that be something we have to go to in the playoffs.”
“It's been a very good stretch for us,” Bradley reminded the press. “We get a few days to recover and get ready for the last regular season game in Montreal knowing that everybody is going to be going into that game with a lot to play for.
“We'll see where the chips fall.”
