Impact humbles error-prone TFC
The Reds had been above criticism since pre- season, a side so unbelievably good it locked up the Supporters’ Shield with two months remaining in the regular season.
It’s a team that, with five regular season games remaining entering Wednesday night, already owned the eighth best record in MLS history — six points off the Galaxy’s record 68-point season.
Toronto FC hadn’t lost at home this season. The Reds have been nothing short of sensational, setting record after record amid being referred to as the best team in MLS history — a label backed up by both the eye test and numbers.
Until now, they’d avoided returning to the bad place. They’d had challenges — in Dallas, in New England, in Columbus — but not many. At times, Toronto FC’s success t his s eason hasn’ t seemed real. That’s how good the Reds have been.
In a 5- 3 loss to visiting Montreal, Toronto FC returned to its bad place — a place Reds fans haven’t seen since the middle of last season, when TFC still was finding its identity under a new coach with new, winning ideas.
It was a re s ul t t hat shouldn’t spawn pause or concern or any of the other overreactions you might read or hear in the coming days. This was a loss that showed how the margin for error in this sport, this league, is paper thin.
It was a loss that showed how defensive errors compounded by goalkeeping errors can turn a game on its head in the regular season. Or, a month from now, in the post-season, where the Reds still will be the top seed.
Amid career s easons, centreback Eriq Zavaleta and goalkeeper Alex Bono both had career stinkers. Zavaleta’s miss- clearance metres from goal was followed by another clearance from Bono that deflected off Ignacio Piatti and into TFC’s goal. Two minutes l ater, Zavaleta’s turnover ended with Marco Donadel striking a knuckling effort from distance that someone beat Bono, bringing back visions of the howler TFC’s ’ keeper conceded last season against nine-man San Jose.
Piatti put the game out of reach less than a half-hour in after undressing TFC along the left edge of the area, cutting inside and letting go a blast that bulged the netting near the back post.
Just like that, TFC’s unblemished season was besmirched by a rival that was essentially handed five goals by a team that had conceded just 26 times all season, leading to a sizable portion of the 28,898 in attendance heading for the exits early.
When cameras panned to head coach Greg Vanney and assistant Robin Fraser on the bench, both looked dumbfounded after an egregious turnover from Steven Beitashour put Anthony Jackson- Hamel in alone to score on a breakaway.
Jackson- Hamel tacked on Montreal’s fifth minutes later when the Impact exploited another turnover that, again, lead to a 2- on-1 against Bono the other way. A pair of late header goals from Tosaint Ricketts only served to make the scoreline less embarrassing.
But in a match most TFC fans will want to throw away and forget, Vanney learned a number of things entering the final month of the regular season — both good and bad for certain players playing in place of a trio of TFC’s star players.
Armando Cooper is likely to be locked away for the rest of the year given the number of poor decisions he made in possession throughout Wednesday night’s game.
Further back, Vanney could have a decision to make when Nick Hagglund comes back from i njury. While Zavaleta’s been good this year, he hasn’t locked up a spot next to Drew Moor.
Nico Hasler also looks like he should be TFC’s starting right fullback moving forward — and not just because of Beitashour’s up and down night. Hasler has been good since his arrival.
Then t here’s Ricketts, who reminded TFC fans this week his athleticism and pace could be the difference in a tight game.
Still, this was a night where individual storylines were swallowed up by a sobering defeat that ended an 11-game unbeaten streak.
Perhaps the Reds simply ran out of gas without Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore and Victor Vazquez. These things happen over the course of a 34-game season — especially in MLS.
That said, losing in this manner, in a derby is something that can alter the course of a season if things aren’t turned around quickly.
Su d d e nl y Sa t u r d a y ’s match in New England looks quite a bit bigger.