Toronto FC vs. Philadelphia Union | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Toronto FC vs. Philadelphia Union
2018 MLS Regular Season - Week 10
BMO Field - Toronto
May 4 - 8 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/3/4/5, ESPN+

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Both teams are coming off somewhat bizarro results in Week 9.Toronto FC squandered a two-goal lead and settled for a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire at BMO Field, while the Philadelphia Union broke out of a goalless streak to score a season-high three goals to defeat D.C. United at home.

Including the postseason, Toronto is unbeaten in their last eight matches against the Union (6W-2D), conceding multiple goals just once in that stretch, per Opta.

Toronto FC

It appeared Toronto FC (1-4-1) had put their Concacaf Champions League final defeat behind them by racing to a two-goal lead inside of 25 minutes through Jonathan Osorio and Victor Vazquez Saturday afternoon.

But Bastian Schweinsteiger pulled the Fire within one on a debated goal and Alan Gordon leveled deep into second-half stoppage time as a TFC side ravaged by injuries during the CCL campaign settled for a draw.

“Today’s game was about decisive moments and we didn’t get the right end of the decisive moments,” Toronto coach Greg Vanney said after the game.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Nick Hagglund (hamstring strain), D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), F - Jozy Altidore (hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: D - Chris Mavinga (sore hamstring), D - Justin Morrow (calf strain), D - Eriq Zavaleta (quadriceps strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Clint Irwin — Auro, Gregory van der Wiel, Michael Bradley, Ashtone Morgan — Marky Delgado — Nicolas Hasler, Ager Aketxe, Victor Vazquez, Jonathan Osorio — Sebastian Giovinco

Notes: Sebastian Giovinco has scored five goals in six career appearances against Philadelphia, tied for the third-most goals scored by one player against the Union. … Toronto has scored just six goals this season, tied for the second fewest in MLS. However, they have scored 6.2 goals fewer than their expected goals totals, the largest differential in the league.

Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia (2-3-2) carried a 200-plus minute goalless streak into Saturday’s contest against D.C. United, but broke out for their first multi-goal game since a 2-0 season-opening win over New England.

The Union did it, too, after conceding seven minutes after kickoff when Zoltan Stieber put the visitors ahead. In his first game back from injury, Ilsinho scored a critical equalizer before halftime and CJ Sapong and Borek Dockal added second-half goals as Philadelphia snapped a five-match winless streak. Dockal was named to the MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi for Week 9.

“In a game like that, that I thought we dominated for the most part, it would have been very disappointing to come away with just a tie,” Philadelphia coach Jim Curtin said. “This locker room has stuck together through a tough beginning to the season and each player has each other’s back, something which showed through today on the field.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Richie Marquez (sports hernia surgery); QUESTIONABLE: D - Fabinho (right meniscus surgery recovery)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Andre Blake — Keegan Rosenberry, Jack Elliott, Auston Trusty, Raymon Gaddis — Alejandro Bedoya, Haris Medunjanin — Ilsinho, Borek Dockal, David Accam — C.J. Sapong

Notes: Dockal finished with a goal and seven chances created in last week’s victory, becoming the second Union player to do so in a MLS match. … The Union’s 3-2 win last weekend snapped a five-game winless run (3L-2D) in which the club was outscored 8-1.

All-Time Series

Overall: Toronto FC 7 wins, 25 goals … Philadelphia Union 6 wins, 26 goals … 6 ties
At Toronto: Toronto FC 5 wins, 16 goals … Union 2 wins, 14 goals … 3 ties
Last meeting at Toronto: Toronto FC 3, Philadelphia Union 0 (Aug. 23, 2017)