Toronto FC (1) - D.C. United (3) Postgame Summary

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Toronto FC

Toronto FC (1) - D.C. United (3) Postgame Summary

August 31, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Toronto FC News Release


SCORING SUMMARY

DC - Martín Rodríguez 67' (Theodore Ku-DiPietro, Jared Stroud)

TOR - Deandre Kerr 83' (Richie Laryea, Henry Wingo)

DC - Dominique Badji 88' (Cristian Dájome)

DC - Gabriel Pirani 90+3'

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

TOR - Deybi Flores 65' (caution)

TOR - Deandre Kerr 77' (caution)

TOR - Richie Laryea 90+1' (caution)

DC - Gabriel Pirani 90+1' (caution)

RECORDS (W-L-T)

Toronto FC 10-15-3 33 points

D.C. United 7-12-8 29 points

LINEUPS

TORONTO FC - Sean Johnson (C) ; Henry Wingo, Kevin Long, Nicksoen Gomis (Shane O'Neill 84'); Richie Laryea, Matty Longstaff, Deybi Flores, Raoul Petretta (Kosi Thompson 75'), Tyrese Spicer (Prince Owusu 63'); Derrick Etienne Jr., Lorenzo Insigne (Deandre Kerr 75')

Substitutes Not Used: Luka Gavran, Aimé Mabika, Sigurd Rosted, Kobe Franklin, Brandon Servania

D.C. UNITED - Alex Bono; Aaron Herrera, Lucas Bartlett, Christopher McVey (Martín Rodríguez 46'), Pedro Santos; Matti Peltola, Jared Stroud (Jacob Murrell 85'), Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dájome (Garrison Tubbs 90+2'); Christian Benteke (C) (Dominique Badji 78'), Theodore Ku-DiPietro (Gabriel Pirani 78')

Substitutes Not Used: Luis Zamudio, Hayden Sargis, Jeremy Garay

MEDIA NOTES Henry Wingo started his first Major League Soccer match and registered his first assist for Toronto FC. Deandre Kerr scored his 15th goal for TFC across all competitions. Richie Laryea registered his first assist of the 2024 campaign. Lorenzo Insigne made his 50th MLS appearance for Toronto FC.

JOHN HERDMAN - HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC

Q. Can you give us your thoughts on the overall performance?

Yeah, I mean, obviously we are all gutted, that last 10 minutes of the game we tried to go for it with some of the decisions on the lineup and yeah, we just got loose defensively. I mean, you don't want to be one-all with D.C. and celebrating a draw. We wanted to go for it and made some adjustments, and unfortunately it left us stretched. So, first half I thought we had full control. We managed their direct play, managed [Christian] Benteke. Second half we were managing direct play and [Christian] Benteke again, thought the lads did a great job at that, but we just looked flat, looked flat after about the 55th minute and started to fall into their game which was just playing in that chaos, going front to back too quickly.

The lads are disappointed, I'm disappointed certainly in a playoff run, you have to be disciplined through that last 30 minutes of the game, and we weren't.

Whether that's the decision-making, you know, to change and adapt with the players coming in and changing some positions, or just you know, the team allowing itself to get stretched from the back side-to-side, there was definitely too much stretch in there.

So that's the message, if you are going to make these playoffs, if you're going to push for a genuine playoff run, you have to respect that defending part of the game. You cannot allow yourself to get stretched again.

You know, my lesson is maybe too many changes in that last ten minutes, too many positional shifts but at the same time you want to go for it for the fans, you score a goal and you've got momentum and you can smell there's another one coming.

Yeah, so I think all in all, just disappointed for the fans. Big turnout tonight. Yeah, big opportunity missed.

Q. What did you say to the team in the locker room after the game?

I mean, you know, I think they were devastated, as always. They know how big the moment was tonight to kill off D.C.'s hopes and to get closer to Orlando. Again I think sitting in the dressing room at halftime, they were happy with where we set the stall out. We wanted a bit more urgency in the attack.

I thought we were just lacking a bit of thrust in the first half but the second half, again what was said was we have to be ready to fight. There's 23 players going to be fit and available and healthy next week, for the next two weeks. We have to make sure that every man is ready for that fight, you know, from a training perspective, it will be again for two weeks back to basics to allow those intense sessions to allow people to compete for places.

For me, I just felt it was complacency in the second half and that -- it felt like we were just missing that urgency. Again, whether that was the tactical piece or whether that was just an emotional element from the players or players coming in and losing chemistry, I mean, either way, there wasn't enough urgency for that final phase, and that was reiterated in the dressing room.

Q: Your team has played three games in eight days. How big a factor was fatigue and rest in tonight's match?

I think we looked flat in the second half. You did see it sort of dip. But I just don't want to give any excuse, I mean we are in a playoff run people have to -- as a staff collectively, as a player group, we have to die on the pitch and put everything out there for the fans, for each other to reach our goal. And I think we just didn't feel it. I didn't feel like we were all there ready to die for that performance and you know, you can make those excuses maybe, we were making them in the back of our minds, I don't know but arguable I say if we really want to reach what I think we are capable of, we got to die for it, these games, we've been on a decent run and tonight again it's that Jekyll and Hyde TFC.

We are at that stage where we have to fight, every second every minute and bring that level of desire. I just think I'm going to provoke that in the next two weeks. I'm going to provoke that in the group. I'm going to bring that intensity.

Q: Your team has won six of the last eight matches across all competitions coming into tonight. Do you have to recapture some momentum after tonight's performance?

They'll be stinging, they'll be stinging. The momentum capture is to lighting the fire in every player. Every staff member to bring the next level, we're in a battle. Whether it's you know the people behind the scenes, the people on the pitch, the coaching staff, the players - it's a collective fight for the club.

Everyone's got to bring their best. We just get too comfortable at times over the summer in Toronto, we've got to get in this fight. We have to get in this fight together and people finding their next best level and that's where I'll be pushing this week.

It'll be intense at training, and I'll be encouraging that fight and scrap for places and you know what you might see in this next game is just a different look, you know for guys who have been fighting and trying to show that they are ready to really push. So, I'll be provoking that for sure and they'll be provoking that within us. We got to bring our best now.

Q. Tyrese Spicer made his first appearance since June 1st. Can you give us your thoughts on how he looked out there?

You see the threat he brings, he brings that pace on that left-hand side. I thought he had a really promising first half just a little bit rusty. Normally you know he beats that man and get a shot or a cross off. You know you can see, he just needs a few more reps but when you can bring the threat level into the game and you know, missing [Federico] Bernardeschi and [Jonathan] Osorio tonight you think of Tyrese [Spicer] either starting or coming off the bench and that's where we needed him tonight, coming off the bench to bring that pace and energy.

I think that's a big part of what we've got. We've got [Brandon] Servania fighting for a spot. We've got [Alonso] Coello back as of next week full training and competing and we need that now, we need that.

Players like Tyrese [Spicer] and DK [Deandre Kerr] who showed a bit of fight tonight, that he's willing to fight for his spot in this playoff run. It's those players that need to push that next level and get the competition really high because I'm definitely going to provoke that.

DEANDRE KERR - FORWARD, TORONTO FC

Q. Can you give us your thoughts on the match tonight?

It's definitely a tough one. I think we weren't good in the first half and second half, we started to lose our way a little bit and they got the goal and after we tied it up, the game got a bit stretched and got a bit more direct, which probably favoured them. So yeah, tough one.

Q. It seemed like the match lacked rhythm tonight. Would you agree with that?

Yeah, it's always tough against a team like D.C. They are disciplined defensively and they fight for second balls. So we knew it was going to be tough.

Q. Coach [John Herdman] was in here and he was pretty fired up about how intense the next couple of weeks are going to be for TFC. What was the message in the room after tonight?

We know how important the games are going to be from now on and every game is a cup final for us to get to that playoff spot. That's what we are going to be working towards this next week and for the rest of the season.

Q. Have you personally ever been in a situation like this before where you're chasing a playoff position and everyone has to come together?

No, I haven't. But this is my first time experiencing it and I'm excited to do the best I can to help the team in every way possible in order to make that push and make the playoffs.

Q. The last few weeks have been a battle for you with the foot injury. What was it like to get back out there and to get a goal tonight?

I've taken some time to get back to hundred percent and really feel like myself again. I was happy to be out there without pain. It gives me good confidence.

Q. John Herdman said you were a guy who's hungry for minutes and looking to battle for a starting spot. Is that how you're feeling heading into the break?

Yeah, yeah, as I said it's towards the end of the season and yeah, I want to help the team get to where I know we can be and that's a playoff spot. I'm just going to give it a 110 percent to help get us there.

Q. It's been a good week for the club after wins in Houston and the Canadian Championship. How bitter of a taste does that leave heading into the international break?

It's a tough one but it's gone now, so we know what's next and we know what's coming. Just got to get ready for that.

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