FINISH THEM
Toronto FC looking to dispatch a Colorado side that has already seemingly called it quits
As the Reds refuse to look beyond Tuesday night’s return leg, the visiting Colorado Rapids appear to have their sights set on Major League Soccer’s opening weekends.
The visitors might as well have been carrying a white flag when they arrived here Sunday on the back of a 2-0 (first leg) Champions League loss last week in Denver.
Rapids bench boss Anthony Hudson repeated last week’s pre-game speech ahead of Tuesday night’s Round of 16 decider: That his side is very much in pre-season mode.
“It was an example last week where we played a very strong team, which is the benchmark, really, who’d prepared at altitude for quite some period in pre-season,” Hudson told his club’s official website. “We haven’t prepared at altitude. When we went into the (first leg) ... I was unsure how we’d cope with the altitude.
“We need more sessions, more games in altitude, in Denver,” he explained. “So once we get back from Toronto we’re going to have a good amount of time before (opening the regular season).”
In other words, the proverbial towel has been thrown by a Colorado side that, at this point, is more concerned with cohesion following a coaching change and influx of new staff and players.
That much was clear last week at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Save a first-half lapse in defending, the Reds were the best we’ve seen them this early in a season, as if a short, sixweek off-season actually benefited the defending MLS Cup champs. They didn’t resemble a side in pre-season.
“I thought Greg and the team were prepared both mentally and physically (for the first leg),” Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko told the Sun. “They were physically capable of ... playing a game that reflected what Toronto FC is all about.”
Once considered coldweather adverse, Sebastian Giovinco was dangerous despite competing in frigid, record-low conditions that enveloped the Rockies. Jonathan Osorio was the best we’ve seen him. Toronto’s ball movement — through Victor Vazquez, Marky Delgado and Michael Bradley — resembled what was witnessed in December’s MLS Cup final.
“I felt like in a lot of ways we picked up where we left off,” Bezbatchenko added with cautious optimism. “We were pleased with that performance, but it was only one leg.”
How coach Greg Vanney approaches Tuesday night’s Champions League decider remains to be seen. But Vanney told the Sun not to expect a host of changes this week despite the commanding lead. The Reds still trail Tigres and Herediano — their potential quarterfinal opponents — in terms of form and match fitness given those sides are well into their seasons.
Still, Vanney could be tempted to replace Auro with Gregory van der Wiel after the Dutch fullback missed last week’s first-leg trip due to the birth of his daughter. Additionally, Ager Aketxe’s transfer papers have arrived, making him eligible for Tuesday night’s tie.
“Under the right circumstances ... hopefully we can get him going,” Vanney said of the Spanish midfielder.
While the Reds have benefited from what appears to be a simple, first-round test against a Colorado side that’s still tinkering ahead of another MLS season, the club’s top brass have made it be known they won’t be satisfied with simply making the last eight.
“I don’t think anyone is comfortable just being in this tournament,” Bezbatchenko said. “The expectation and the goal is to put ourselves in a position to win this tournament.”
It’s something TFC president Bill Manning has been talking about since 2015, when the Reds were a fringe playoff team, just hoping to win a post-season game.
“If we can get past Colorado then we put ourselves in a position where we’re playing either Tigres or Herediano and we get to measure ourselves again against international competition and find out where we’re at,” Bezbatchenko added.
“I think what we’re trying to do is be internationally recognized as a leader in North America. If it’s us competing in Champions League against the top team in Mexico, which is Tigres, then we’re able to do that. We’re living out the vision. At the same time, we want to win these things. We want more trophies. We want to stay competitive and show we can compete at that level.”