TORONTO, ON – Toronto FC got all three points at BMO Field. It was a wild game, with Chicago pressuring Toronto a lot in the first half. Defence continues to be a concern for TFC, but they were still able to get the job done against Chicago.
Toronto FC extends the Chicago Fire FC’s winless streak to eight games
Full Game Summary
Full Game Summary:#TFCLive’s Alejandro Pozuelo scored two goals in the second half.#cf97 had a lot of scoring but did not convert on some of their scoring opportunities.#TheyWillSeeRed made some key defensive plays in the game.#TORvCHI | 3-2 | #MLS
— Last Word on Soccer (@LastWordSC) May 29, 2022
First Half
Xherdan Shaqiri crossed the ball in the eighth minute of play. Jimenez’s shot was way off-target in the eighth minute. There was some concern for TFC as midfielder Jonathan Osorio got injured in the 12-minute of play and was substituted from the game and Jayden Nelson took his place.
13’ #TFCLive opens the scoring! Deandre Kerr shot gets a piece of #cf97 goalkeeper, Gabriel Slonina, but still found the back of the net! #TorontoFC#TORvCHI | 1-0 | #MLS pic.twitter.com/aTHd3QpHRa
— Raheem (@bashirra) May 28, 2022
TFC would score a goal early in the 13-minute. It was a great team passing in Chicago’s half. Jesús Jiménez found Kerr. Kerr decided to shoot the ball, which got past the Chicago Fire FC goalkeeper and into the net. TFC was now winning 1-0.
Chicago did start pressing after Toronto scored in the first half. Shaqiri’s shot from distance was off-target in the 18-minute. Then, Kacper Przybylko’s header in the 19-minute missed the target. Luca Petraaso made a good run in the 21-minute but did not deliver the cross well. TFC almost scored in the 44-minute, but it was offside.
Second half
A TFC defender made a good defensive play in the 45-minute. Federico Navarro’s pass to Shaqiri in the 48-minute was easily stopped by Quentin Westberg. Shakari passed the ball to Mueller, whose header in the 50-minute missed the target. Westberg made a terrific save in the 51-minute. That save he made, was very similar to the goal he conceded to the HFX Wanderers FC in the Canadian Championship.
52’ #cf97 scores! A terrific delivery by Xherdan Shaqiri resulted in a header from very close range by Carlos Terán to tie the game! #ChicagoFireFC#TORvCHI | 1-1 | #MLSpic.twitter.com/QoUQEJm2r6
— Last Word on Soccer (@LastWordSC) May 29, 2022
Shaqiri, the former Liverpool player, showed his strengths against Toronto. As a result, Carlos Terán connected on the ball perfectly in the 52-minute to tie the game 1-1. Then in the 66-minute, Gastón Giménez did a good job finding Kacper Przybylko for the go-ahead goal.
Kris Mueller’s shot in the 60-minute missed the net. Kosi Thompson flicked the ball away in the 62-minute. Shavolku felt he was impeded, but Thompson just played good defence. TFC got a chance to tie the game in the 71-minute as Pozuelo was fouled by Navarro just inside the box.
71’ #TFCLive ties it! Alejandro Pozuelo makes the goalkeeper guess the wrong direction as we now have a tie game! #TorontoFC #TORvCHI | 2-2 | #MLSpic.twitter.com/hrmmtleDNi
— Last Word on Soccer (@LastWordSC) May 29, 2022
Pozuelo took the penalty calmly and made the goalkeeper guess the wrong direction. It was now a tie game with 19 minutes to go.
78’ A terrific goal scored by #TFCLive’s Alejandro Pozuelo! #TorontoFC #TORvCHI | 3-2 | #MLSpic.twitter.com/5h00ZOHjIr
— Raheem (@bashirra) May 29, 2022
The game-winner was probably the best goal of the game. From a bit far out, Pozuelo delivered a stunning shot that hit the post and went into the back of the net. Chicago did keep pressing though after Pozuelo’s second goal. Shaqiri had two shots after that. The one in the 83-minute might have been Chicago’s best chance to tie the game. His shot from his right foot hit the bar and was inches away from possibly going into the net. Jhon Durán’s header was saved easily by Westberg in the 90-minute. That was their last shot on target. Kosi Thompson made a good defensive block in the 93-minute.
Game Ends:
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It was not pretty, but Toronto FC found a way to win the game at BMO Field. It also ended a six-game winless streak in MLS play. This is while Chicago Fire FC’s winless streak was just extended to eight games, with only one point to show for it.
In this game, Toronto was the team with the better start. However, after TFC scored, Chicago had several chances to score. This included the second half, where they had waves of attack, which allowed them to score two goals in the second half. It looked like Chicago had all the momentum after scoring the second goal.
However, TFC rebounded thanks largely to Alejandro Pozuelo’s two goals. Both teams will now have a few weeks off from MLS action because of the international break. However, TFC does have the 2020 Voyageurs Cup to potentially win. They are facing the CPL side, Forge FC, at Tim Hortons Field. The game will take place on Saturday, June. 4 at 7;00 p.m. ET. That game will be shown live on OneSoccer and Telus.
The 2020 Canadian Championship was delayed because of COVID-19, but TFC made the final by earning the most points of all the Canadian MLS teams in phase I. This is while Forge FC, based in Hamilton, Ontario made the final by virtue of winning the North Star Shield in 2020 by defeating the HFX Wanderers FC.
Three Takeaways:
First goal at home + three points >>>> pic.twitter.com/BsvKWbO2nt
— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) May 29, 2022
Toronto FC concedes for a club-breaking twenty-second straight time. The TSN commentator, Luke Wileman, mentioned this on the broadcast. TFC only got a shutout once in their last 44 games. Also, there were 30+ crosses into TFC’s box today. The midfielders have to do a better job of relieving pressure on the defenders.
Deandre Kerr scored his first Toronto FC goal at BMO Field. Kerr did score against NYCFC back on April 24. However, this is his first goal at BMO Field, which is a personal milestone for the youngster.
Chicago Fire FC extends its winless streak to 10 games in all competitions. The Fire has not played well, last winning against Sporting KC on March 19. They are also winless in their last nine games in MLS play and earn only two points. One of those points came on the road against the New York Red Bulls.
The post Toronto FC got all three points against the Chicago Fire FC at BMO Field appeared first on Last Word On Soccer.
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