U-Sector – The Original Toronto FC Supporters Group

It’s Always Sunny in Toronto

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Well not really, but it will be Thursday, which just so happens to be the day of TFC’s fourth home opener against expansion Philadelphia Union.

BMO Field faithful will be heading to a vastly different stadium than they’ve become used to. The new $3.5 million natural grass surface is installed and cheerfully green, replacing the worn out artificial turf that was the bane of many a Toronto player’s existence. A new 1200- seat north stand now sits menacingly atop the old beer garden, forcing opposing goalkeepers to take verbal abuse for the full 90 minutes.

Of course, the most important thing on display will be the actual football. TFC is still very much a work in progress, and it hosts a Philly side that  will surely be on a high after a smashing home debut that saw the Union dispatch local rival DC United on the back of Sebastien Le Toux’s hat-trick.

Toronto officially welcomed two more players into the fold this week, with Russain defender Maxim Usanov and Canadian centre back Adrian Cann joining the side. Hometown boy Cann looks to become just the second player in history to play for all three Canadian professional clubs, as he has seen time with both the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps in previous years. TFC fans hope that Cann will usurp Nick Garcia’s spot in the lineup, as at this point any option is better than the beleaguered American.

Philadelphia looks more like a typical MLS expansion side than last year’s debutante Seattle Sounders did, although like the Sounders Philly has shown that it knows how to win its opening home match.

Built around a relatively strong defensive corps and a very young attacking nucleus, look for the Union to be inconsistent this year, as teenaged rookies Danny Mwanga, Jack McInerney and Roger Torres – along with older freshman Tony Stahl – try to grow into the league.

Torres has so far shown the most promise in these early days, displaying an attacking flair from the midfield reminiscent of his countryman Fredy Montero.

Union coach Piotr Nowak hopes MLS veterans Alejandro Moreno and Fred can provide leadership to the young guns, and both should start against the Reds on the grass at BMO tomorrow night.

The game will likely be won or lost for the Reds based on the intensity they can bring over the entire 90 minutes. Against New England, Toronto looked fabulous in the first half and dreadful in the second, and such a swing in consistency will prove to be a killer should it happen again for TFC. Philly came out flying in the opening 10-15 minutes of both of their matches thus far, which is to be expected given the large youth movement in that side. If Toronto can withstand the initial onslaught, and maybe even tally an early goal themselves, then tomorrow’s match will be TFC’s for the taking.

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Please feel free to join U-Sector at its new preseason home Maro, which is located at 135 Liberty Street (just south of Lamport Stadium). Doors open at 3:30pm.

Amsterdam is the featured beer, and will be selling at $4 per cup and $15 per jug. All other drinks will be sold at regular Maro prices.

Though the future of food is not yet certain, please be mindful that there will be no food service on this occasion.

Maro will be open to U-Sector throughout the season for pre-game ONLY (there are a couple of exceptions), and thus will not be available for post-game. Those who wish to join U-Sector post game are invited to The Done Right Inn (861 Queen Street West).

Also, U-Sector will be marching to the stadium with the Red Patch Boys, starting at 6:30pm at the corner of Fraser and Liberty.

Posted by Rudi Schuller