Reds stagger to fifth straight MLS defeat
As woeful as Toronto FC’S short history has been, this is a new low.
Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Chivas USA was the fifth straight defeat for the Reds, a new mark for futility from a team which has never had a winning season or played a playoff game.
Despite dominating the second half and creating numerous chances to net the equalizer, TFC (0-5-0) was shut out for the third straight time at home to open the Major League Soccer season and remains the only one of 19 teams without a point in 2012.
“This is probably the most unlucky I’ve been in my career,” said Ryan Johnson, who had two balls cleared off the line by defenders and just missed the far post with a header.
Johnson’s best chance came in the 80th minute when he got on a long ball from David Avila in behind the Chivas defence and thumped a shot through goalkeeper Dan Kennedy only to watch defender Heath Pearce clear it just before it went into the net.
“This is mind-boggling sometimes and I can’t believe what just happened today,” he said. “It’s tough.”
After showing some early promise with a starting lineup that featured four new faces from the side which lost to the expansion Montreal Impact last week, Toronto conceded a goal in an all-too-typical fashion — poor marking on a set piece by Chivas (3-3-0).
Oswaldo Minda shook off the mark of Johnson and got his head on a Miller Bolanos corner kick at the near post, putting it past goalkeeper Milos Kocic in the 31st minute.
Kocic was called on to make a couple of good saves before halftime to keep it a one-goal deficit but barely had the ball come near him over the final 45 minutes.
The second half was all Toronto but the Reds, who have scored just two goals this season and have yet to hold a lead in any of their games, ran into stellar goalkeeping from Kennedy and a lack of finish.
“It’s so frustrating,” said Danny Koevermans, who had two glorious chances to equalize, including one in the 89th minute when Joao Plata found him in front but Kennedy got a hand on it. “If we played bad and didn’t create any chances then it would concern me.
“But we have to just keep our heads up and have to stay positive and say it’s got to turn around. Goals will come eventually.
“I think everyone saw again today we didn’t deserve this loss. But the score says different.”
Toronto hosts the Chicago Fire next Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
Despite the fifth straight loss, one more than the Reds had twice in their inaugural season of 2007 and once last year, head coach Aron Winter tried to remain upbeat, saying the luck will change and insisting “I’m not concerned” the slump will get him fired.
“If you don’t create chances and you don’t play well then you’re far away from it,” he said. “(But) I think we own bad luck. It’s simple.”
Asked about boos after the final whistle from those among the 18,476 fans who stayed, Winter said: “It’s normal if you’ve played five games and you’ve got zero points.”
Still, Winter, who sat high-priced Julian de Guzman among lineup changes that also included the return of defender Adrian Cann after being out since May with a knee injury, said, “I think they’re still faithful because I think they’ve also seen good things and I think the moment should come that we get the points.” Winter had captain Torsten Frings on the substitutes bench to give his team a “psychological” boost but said he didn’t consider playing the former German international because the hamstring he strained four weeks ago is not quite ready.