East Side Stand Up

Ok, a week late, but Ian Clarke is back from vacation and catching up on a pod in the can. Andre Zadarozny wraps up the 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake all by his lonesome, but zings through an important match for TFC that keeps their winning streak alive.

Despite the summer heat, it was raining goals courtesy of Giovinco, who broke his goalless streak and helped TFC secure a much needed 4-1 over DC United. The win keeps the Reds on pace with the rest in the conference, but also gives the Italian DP a much needed boost of confidence. It wasn't just Giovinco, as the supporting cast was up to task of providing key passes and scoring chances, with important appearances from Tosaint Ricketts and Jozy Altidore. There is much to look forward to once the likes of Clint Irwin, Will Johnson and Michael Bradley return.

Despite being subjected to the NBA's top 50 plays of 2015-16, Toronto FC comes back from a rain delay, and boring first half, to offer more in the second half and a 1-1 draw with the Columbus Crew. The away goal will come in handy in another week when the third, final and cup-lifting fixture determines who wins the Trillium Cup, and as it seems know, the youngsters might have a chance at being essential components to the result.

No, it was not an explosive affair between TFC and Seattle, as the 1-1 draw had all scoring happen within a minute. Toronto were up against one of the poorer sides in MLS, but with so many injuries, could only muster up what and who was available, which was a noticeable drop in quality. However, the players on hand did as best they could with Tsubasah Endoh and Jay Chapman showing well for themselves and Giovinco trying his best to carry the side. A point is good for now, but to stay afloat in a competitive division, TFC will need to do better in the coming very busy weeks.

With nearly ten added minutes to the end of the match, referee Ismail Elfath chose to decide the result right at the end on a dubious foul by Drew Moor on Julio Baptista. Earlier in the half, Jordan Hamilton had similar contact by Joe Bendik for a non-call and TFC supporters are right to feel aggrieved. It is another poor and inconsistent display by PRO referees to decide all three points. Aside from the controversy, there were several storylines, such as: Clint Irwin v. Joe Bendik, Cyle Larin v. Jordan Hamilton, as well as a solid performance from Jonathan Osorio.

Toronto FC earn a rare three points against a perennial contender, as they drop the LA Galaxy 1-0 in a gritty affair that kept Giovinco off the scoresheet but others pulled through for the win. It was some other key players, such as Benoit Cheyrou, Clint Irwin and Drew Moor, who all contributed to keeping TFC in the match and in a good position to net the winning goal. It was a packed house and the 12th man was in full effect to also give the Reds a level of support that has not been seen in years. Overall, it was a great night and solid result to look forward to Vancouver midweek and Orlando come the weekend.

Toronto FC could not follow up on their surprise season opening win, and instead put in a 'classic' Red Bulls Arena performance, being dropped 3-0 with all goals coming within the first thirty minutes. It was the Bradley Wright-Phillips show as he netted the hat-trick and with Giovinco gone to an early injury, the Reds had few opportunities to get back in the game. Despite a Red Bulls red card, there just wasn't enough depth and in sync players to rise up against a solid MLS contender.

The Reds drop points again at home, only able to get a point through a scoreless 0-0 draw with rivals, the Columbus Crew. TFC had their chances, especially by way of dynamo DP Giovinco, but he was not clinical in finishing. Clint Irwin was up to the task at the other end of the pitch, keeping the likes of Federico Higuain and Justin Meram in check to preserve the point. With the Copas looming the loss of Michael Bradley will be huge, but also presents an opportunity for other players to step up and claim their position with the club.

Spark and Stephe leave BMO disappointed as the Reds should have taken all three points and it was an opportunity lost in a 1-1 draw with NYCFC. Youth was on display as Mo Baboulli and Jay Chapman were starters and were likely the talking points for the match. Despite a shaky start that picked up where it left off Saturday night, there were plenty of chances for Toronto to ice this game, but aside from Giovinco the side is lacking the clinical finish to see out a victory over a weaker opposition.

It was a shootout at BMO Field, as the Vancouver Whitecaps had more pace and firepower to see through a 4-3 win over Toronto FC. There was plenty of blame to go around on this night as several players on TFC did not step onto the pitch with the required intensity and as a result Vancouver capitalized and put the Reds in a hole they had to dig out of for almost the entire match. Jozy Altidore missed a penalty and then injured himself, which leads to what is next with injuries and tournaments on the horizon? It will be a trying 6-8 weeks for TFC and one where much good work could come undone.

Even though TFC have an obscene amount of chances on goal, enough to say they could have won 5 or 6-0, the 1-0 victory over FC Dallas was a solid victory to keep them well on pace atop of the Eastern Conference. It was a comprehensive display throughout the pitch as Clint Irwin was up the challenge with key saves, the midfield was dominant against a tricky Dallas side, and Giovinco again was pulling all the strings creating chances for himself and his teammates. It was a good result, with some red flags on finishing, but if it begins to come together, TFC could be making the statement they are a legitimate top side in MLS.

Toronto FC might have ended their road trip with a loss, but they did well to start off the year at a huge disadvantage. A 2-1 defeat to the Portland Timbers, while should have been a win, still is framed through a road trip that had three wins and eleven points. There are still some areas to fine tune, but others such as defending, that supporters can begin to look at as legitimately improved. We discuss the road trip and what to expect at BMO both on the field and in the stands.

Toronto FC keep piling up points to start the season, surpassing club President Bill Manning's initial goal and with a 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact are sitting on 11 points in their first seven games. It wasn't just a win, it has been a steady climb for the team, who put in their best all around performance of the year where there were no weak links and everyone played a role. Defensively the Reds continue to lock it down, and moving forward it is Giovinco's finish ability that cannot be stopped, either from the penalty spot, or from distance. It was an encouraging display ahead of Portland as the club eagerly comes closer to their 2016 home opener.

Toronto FC did the job they needed to do, which was get three points and hit Bill Manning's magic number for the first eight games of 2016. A 1-0 over DC United, while most of it was in TFC's end, showed strong defensive character as Clint Irwin had another strong outing and the defenders in front of him each played an aggressive, gritty match. The early Giovinco goal also showed some cohesion starting to form in the midfield as four players were involved in the sequence and this bodes well for two more tough away games before finally getting the home opener on May 7.

The Reds did well however to come back from an early deficit to draw with the Revolution 1-1. There were many positives to look at from this match, beginning with what could and should be close to the ideal starting eleven. Clint Irwin is emerging as a noticeable upgrade between the sticks, and there was a glimpse of what the attack could look like if Jozy Altidore and Giovinco reestablish cohesion and work off one another. It was a bigger picture result where if the team stays healthy and gets in sync, it could be the start of a good run of form.

Toronto FC went into Colorado looking to take all three points, but an early red card accumulation from Benoit Cheyrou put them behind the eight ball and then a 1-0 deficit. It was a disappointing result as the road trip only gets harder from here and while the defence looks a bit stronger, the attack of TFC outside of Giovinco simply is not pulling their weight. The lads run all over Toronto to find a venue to watch the game, and discuss the second half, who performed, and then discuss who our most overrated and underrated TFC players of all time are.

Despite being soundly defeated at home, 3-0 to Mexico, the pod keeps the result in perspective. There is no question Mexico is the superior team and program and with that in mind, these games are also about staying positive and competitive heading into the final two matches against Honduras and El Salvador. There were certainly moments to be disappointed, as Canada could have capitalized on several chances throughout the match. It will be tough to go into Azteca stadium, but if Canada can come out relatively unscathed, it will go a long way in being prepared for the final games of the fourth round.

Despite being soundly defeated at home, 3-0 to Mexico, the pod keeps the result in perspective. There is no question Mexico is the superior team and program and with that in mind, these games are also about staying positive and competitive heading into the final two matches against Honduras and El Salvador. There were certainly moments to be disappointed, as Canada could have capitalized on several chances throughout the match. It will be tough to go into Azteca stadium, but if Canada can come out relatively unscathed, it will go a long way in being prepared for the final games of the fourth round.

TFC villain Brad Davis strikes again - this time with Sporting Kansas City and a controversial non-call from Baldomir Toledo. Has that ever happened? The single goal was all that was needed to keep the Wizards perfect on the season and hand the Reds their first defeat. We look at Toledo's non-call, and call against Espinoza, TFC's less than stellar TV numbers but hype up Canada's huge World Cup Qualifier against Mexico later this week.

The Reds managed to come back from a 2-0 deficit and level the score and leave with an important point. TFC now have four points to start the season and are in a good position to get through the opening eight game road trip. Once again it was Giovinco who lead the charge as he had a hand in all the goals, and some defensive errors made the difference on both sides of the ball.