Toronto FC fans got to watch the club’s attack vegetate in the Garden State against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night.
Coming off a four-game unbeaten streak heading into the match at the Red Bull Arena (which is actually in New Jersey), prior to the recent international break, the Reds (yet again) fell victim to sloppy team defensive play while failing to finish off any of their promising attacks, dropping a 2-0 decision to the Red Bulls.
Like the last time the two clubs met (March 5, a 4-1 New York victory in Toronto’s home opener), TFC had a good edge in possession.
Lewis Morgan, who now has four goals in two games this season against TFC, scored in the first half for New York and Luquinhas added a second Red Bulls goal in the second.
The Reds have now given up 29 goals, the most in the MLS Eastern Conference and have gone a club-record 23 straight games without a clean sheet dating back to last September, including all 15 matches this season. The Reds have recorded one clean sheet in their last 45 MLS matches.
TFC is winless in 16 straight away matches (D5 L11) dating back to a 2-1 win in Chicago last July, the longest road winless streak in team history. The Red Bulls are unbeaten in seven straight matches against Toronto (W5 D2).
The match ended with TFC center back Carlos Salcedo, who played well despite TFC giving up numerous chances, being helped off the field with what appeared to be a serious injury.
The Reds had veteran center back Shane O’Neill back in the starting XI. Full back Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who hadn’t played since March 19, also dressed. The 18-year-old rising star was substituted into the game at the 77th minute. TFC veterans Jonathan Osorio, Chris Mavinga and Noble Okello are still out (lower body injuries).
Jesus Jimenez leads TFC with seven goals (with three assists) but hasn’t scored in his last eight games (MLS and Canadian Championship matches), though he did create a number of scoring chances on Saturday night against the Red Bulls.