Tough road ahead for struggling Reds
Crew have not allowed opponents to score a goal in more than 495 minutes
After a 3-7-1 start to the season, Toronto FC is desperate to turn things around.
“We have to change everything and try to make the playoffs,” striker Sebastian Giovinco said.
The Italian star actually requested to speak to the media Thursday, which for him is akin to requesting a colonoscopy. But he, like his teammates, knows the time is now for the MLS champions.
Giovinco had no real answers, other than to say everyone — including himself — has made mistakes and needs to do better.
Bowing under the demands of a gruelling CONCACAF Champions League early-season schedule and an undoubtedly related string of injuries, Toronto is feeling frustration.
A boatload of missed opportunities in last week’s 1-0 home loss to FC Dallas only added to their bile.
Greg Vanney’s team will have to reverse course on the road starting Satur- day at Columbus. It won’t be easy. Columbus (7-4-3) is unbeaten in seven games (4-0-3) and has not conceded a goal since April 28 — a franchise-record stretch of 495 minutes that ranks as the eighth-longest shutout streak in MLS history. Both teams are missing players through injury, suspension or national team duties.
The game is the first of five straight for Toronto against East opposition, with Philadelphia, D.C. United, New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls to follow. All but D.C. United are currently ahead of TFC in the standings. And if Toronto is to climb up the ladder, it will have to do so away from home. Seven of the next nine games are on the road, where TFC is 0-4-0 this season.
Vanney says he still sees good soccer in his team. But he notes that Toronto’s success in the league last year, when it excelled on the road, and its long run in the Champions League this year came in part because of its ability in tough moments to “grind and find a way to get results.”
“I think this team has that,” Vanney said. “What we have to continue to do, because of all the little things that are going on, is to not allow those frustra- tions to take away our ability to just grind and get things done from game to game.
“I think if we can stay in that mindset, the soccer will naturally come out of this group because the group is very capable. We have very good ideas about what we’re trying to do. We’ve been together (a long time).”
> TONIGHT TFC at COLUMBUS CREW Mapfre Stadium KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. (TSN4)