Bradley keeps (yellow) card close to his chest
‘I certainly wasn’t trying to waste time,’ TFC captain says after CONCACAF booking
Michael Bradley shook his head. Then he shook it again. He shook it a third time when Postmedia brought up the yellow card he received late in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win by TFC in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League series against the Colorado Rapids.
Told his coach didn’t agree with referee Kimbell Ward’s decision to book his captain for time-wasting, Bradley offered a reserved response on his way out of the stadium in Commerce City, Colo.
“It’s CONCACAF, right?” Bradley said. “It is what it is. I certainly wasn’t trying to waste time at that point. But, like I said, it is what it is.”
Sebastian Giovinco set up a goal and scored another, helping TFC down the Rapids. Giovinco assisted on Canadian Jonathan Osorio’s goal in the 55th minute. The Italian striker added an insurance goal in the 73rd.
Toronto will host the second leg Feb. 28. The winner will advance to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Bradley will serve a one-game suspension if he earns a second yellow card in this prolonged knockout tournament. With a potential quarter-final meeting with Mexican giant Tigres looming, TFC coach Greg Vanney was less than pleased with Ward.
“It’s crazy because in this event there’s like seven or eight games you have to get through,” Vanney told Postmedia. “The referee wasted more time than Michael did just playing. It’s tough. You don’t want to take soft cards. You don’t want to be given soft cards. This is potentially a long event with a lot of emotions as it continues to move forward.”
Ward’s decision seemed rash given the first leg — and likely the series — was all but over when he quick-whistled TFC’s captain and brandished a caution without warning. It was a decision that could have serious ramifications later in the competition.
While TFC’s 2-0 Round of 16 lead appears safe, Vanney said he’s reluctant to experiment in the return leg in Toronto.
“It’s a consideration, but I also think you have to balance that,” Vanney said. “If we want to win this we have to use these games to get sharp. To get all the way through this it will obviously take a better performance than (Tuesday night).
“These early games are important to work on the details and get things sorted out if you want to make a long run.”
Vanney will toy with the idea of inserting Chris Mavinga (abdominal injury) back into his lineup alongside Gregory van der Wiel, who missed Tuesday night’s opening leg to remain with his pregnant girlfriend.
“We’ll consider it,” Vanney said of altering his lineup, “but I don’t think (this series) is over yet.”
EXPECTED TO SIGN
Spanish midfielder Ager Aketxe is in Toronto and nearing a permanent move to TFC.
A pending medical and paperwork are all that stand in the way of the 24-year-old playmaker joining the Reds after he severed ties with Athletic Bilbao last week.
Aketxe turned down multiple offers to remain in La Liga and instead spurned Spain’s top flight in a push for more regular playing time in MLS.
While it’s unlikely Aketxe’s paperwork will be done in time for next Tuesday night’s CONCACAF Champions League return leg, the Reds haven’t ruled out his inclusion.
Aketxe has featured in five Europa League fixtures for Bilbao this year following a successful loan spell with Cadiz in Spain’s second division.
His arrival could signal yet another coup for a TFC front office that’s already inked van der Wiel and Brazilian fullback Auro, who earned rave reviews in Tuesday’s win.