U-Sector – The Original Toronto FC Supporters Group

Dawn of the Dead

Friday, May 21, 2010

The zombies are coming!

Actually no, that’s just Toronto FC and the New England Revolution.

The two sides meet up tomorrow at BMO Field, both sporting numerous injuries and absences more befitting of an ER than a soccer match.

Toronto, already missing talisman Dwayne De Rosario to a meaningless friendly glamourous exhibition in Argentina, now faces the prospect of playing without a number of other regulars, as the road-weary Reds show the fruits of a gruelling May schedule.

Julian de Guzman, who was supposed to accompany De Rosario to Buenos Aires, is instead nursing a hamsrting strain that has kept him out of the past two TFC games and sees him listed as “doubtful” for this one. Ty Harden is still out, having been injured by De Rosario while both were attempting to score in a goalmouth scramble against Montreal last month (Harden got the goal). Emmanuel Gomez is gone long term with a knee injury. Seventeen-year-old Zac Herold sadly had to retire due to a rare heart ailment (and is being honoured prior to the match). Even fourth round pick Joseph Nane, who should rarely see more than the bench at the best of times, has the flu.

On top of all that, Maxim Usanov got himself ejected from the previous MLS match on a professional foul against Landon Donovan, and thus will be forced to sit this one out.

All of this adds up to a very patchwork TFC side that will be heavy on the workmanlike attitude that Preki holds so dear, and thin on the creative flair that generally wins professional football matches.

Not all hope is lost, however. If anything Toronto fans should take heart in the fact that BMO Field has once again become a veritable fortress in 2010  (the Reds are 4-and-0 and +7 on goal differential there thus far), and that New England may actually be worse off than they are at the moment.

The Revs are a far cry from the club that completely dismantled Toronto at Gillette Stadium early last month, and even then they weren’t that good.

Seemingly their entire roster has been bitten by the injury bug over the past few weeks, to the point that Steve Nicol only brought 15 players – including three goalkeepers – to a recent away US Open Cup qualifier.

The biggest loss is New England captain Shalrie Joseph, who actually isn’t injured, per se. The Grenadian international is on indefinite leave for “personal issues”, which is rumoured to be code for “rehab.”

Obviously there are more important things than soccer, and no one can begrudge Joseph for stepping up and trying to improve his personal situation, but from a sporting point of view his absence really hurts the Revolution.

But the show must go on, as the old cliché goes. One just has to wonder just how many actors will be able to perform when the curtain raises tomorrow afternoon.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Join us at Maro (135 Liberty St.) for pre-match bevvies, starting at 11:00am. For post-game, all are encouraged to head to the Done Right Inn (867 Queen St. W).

Posted by Rudi Schuller