Delgado making a bigger mark
Reds’ 22-year-old midfielder on MLS team of the week for second straight week
Replay Marky Delgado’s tap-in that opened the scoring for Toronto FC on Saturday against the Chicago Fire and you will catch the Reds’ midfielder quickly twirling to face the linesman stationed on the right side of the pitch after the ball crosses the line.
“Honestly, I thought I was offside for a second,” Delgado said with a laugh, two days after a weekend road win that kept Toronto four points ahead of its closest challenger in the race for Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield.
“I just put it in the back of the net, just in case. Took a look to the right side and I was (onside) so it was a great moment, a great way to start off the game.” It was German great Bastian Schweinsteiger who held Delgado onside for his second goal in as many games. All the California native had to do when teammate Nicolas Hasler’s shot ricocheted off Fire goalkeeper Matt Lampson was connect the outside of his right cleat with the ball.
Delgado spent the rest of the game helping boss the home team around in midfield, earning praise as one of the key performers in the match. He was named to the MLS team of the week for the second straight week.
Earning praise is something that’s become a more regular occurrence for Delgado, and it has come with more consistent playing time. After sitting on the bench in five of Toronto’s first six games, Delgado has missed just three matches since. He has played the full 90 minutes in seven of Toronto FC’s last eight games.
While he had plenty of playing time in previous seasons, he wasn’t always counted on come crunch time. After taking part in a career-high 28 games last season, Delgado got just two minutes of playing time during Toronto’s six-game playoff run.
“It was very hard for me,” Delgado said. “As a professional and as a player, you’ve got to have the willingness to continue pushing. If you’re not helping yourself, you’re helping your teammates.”
Delgado is focusing on consistency this year. The team is deep in midfield and he knew, if he couldn’t deliver, someone else would.
TFC coach Greg Vanney, who has known Delgado since his teenage years when they were both with the now-defunct Chivas USA, has seen him become a player Toronto can depend on this year.
It’s easy for Vanney to forget Delgado is just 22 years old, making him the third-youngest player on the squad.
“Where he’s really wise right now is that he is playing very much within himself and within his role,” Vanney said. “I think in the next few years, as time progresses, he can expand on those things and start to try a little bit more. He’s still a developing player and so that’s the exciting part for Marky.”
With nine games to play in the regular season, Delgado is keen to keep up his level of play. He does not want to be sidelined for another playoff run.
“That’s what’s always in the back of my mind, so I’m always continuing to push,” he said. “Even when things are starting to take a little slump, I’m like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to pick it up now.’ ”