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MLS Toronto FC

Toronto FC (1) - Montreal Impact (0) Post Match Summary

August 29, 2020 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Toronto FC News Release


SCORING SUMMARY

TFC - Alejandro Pozuelo 50' (PK)

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

MTL - Wanyama 57' (caution)

MTL - Rudy Camacho 68' (caution)

TFC - Alejandro Pozuelo 90'+3 (caution)

RECORDS

TORONTO FC: 5-0-3 18 PTS.

MONTREAL: 3-3-1 10 PTS.

Toronto FC extended its unbeaten streak to 18 consecutive regular season matches. Tied for second longest in MLS History (9 wins and 9 draws) - courtesy of Opta

Jonathan Osorio made his club leading, 250th appearance tonight (in all competitions)

Quentin Westberg earned his 4th clean sheet of the season tonight (7 matches), last season he earned 4 clean sheets in 28 matches

LINE-UPS

TORONTO FC - Quentin Westberg; Auro Jr., Omar Gonzalez, Chris Mavinga, Justin Morrow (Laurent Ciman 81'); Jonathan Osorio, Michael Bradley (C), Marky Delgado (Liam Fraser 79'), Pablo Piatti (Tsubasa Endoh 81'), Alejandro Pozuelo; Patrick Mullins (Nick DeLeon 19')

Substitutes Not Used: Alex Bono, Eriq Zavaleta, Griffin Dorsey, Erickson Gallardo

MONTREAL - Clement Diop; Rudy Camacho, Luis Binks, Zachary Brault-Guillard, Jukka Raitala (C); Wanyama, Amar Sejdic (Shamit Shome 69'), Lassi Lappalainen, Emanuel Maciel; Romell Quioto, Maximiliano Urruti (Orji Okwonkwo 71')

Substitutes Not Used: Evan Bush, Jonathan Sirois, Joel Waterman, Karifa Yao, Jorge Corrales, Clement Bayiha

GREG VANNEY - HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC

Can you talk about your decision to stand for the Canadian national anthem?

"Really, for two reasons. I have one assistant coach on my staff, Jason Bent, who is Canadian, and he was going to stand through the anthem. That's his choice and we stood with him. And in addition to that I knew there was going to be a moment of silence for Black Lives Matter and I was going to take a knee during that period to honour that cause."

How tough was it this week to keep the guys thinking about the game?

"Yeah, the last few days have been exhausting in many ways. Lots of things going on. Lots of discussions. Lots of stuff behind the scenes with our guys and a lot of people across the league. That went on well into the evening last night and even through parts of today. Our guys flying in today, for the first time flying in day of the game, so that was new for us. There's a lot of things going on, there's a lot of things on people's minds. Our guys rallied and pulled it together for the game. This is the platform. To be out on the field and in front of the cameras and be able to speak, this is the platform that we all have, and we can use to speak up on behalf of social justice. We know that and we want to do that from, we said the top of the hill. So, we win games we try to keep ourselves on the top of the hill, so we have more ability to shout and to call out for social justice and social equality."

What's it like having a guy like Pozuelo on the penalty spot?

"He's got to get up there and finish them. So far, he's doing well. We don't like to talk about those things too much. Obviously, Pat getting a start, was unfortunate he had a bit of a hamstring just pulled on him. So, we had to make an adjustment and slide Poz into that position that he played for us at the end of last year. We really didn't have any other forwards on the bench, so that became our solution and when we do that we have to keep the ball well and get numbers up the field, we had a lot of possession and could have created a few more chances and finished a couple more. But I think, Poz he's cool at the penalty spot. He's got a way he goes about it. He's very difficult for goalkeepers to read because he's reading them as much as they're trying to read him. It's nice to have that, there's obviously confidence. In the past we've had some tough times being super consistent there and we hope he can keep doing the business."

JUSTIN MORROW - DEFENDER, TORONTO FC

Can you talk about Greg Vanney and Michael Bradley not kneeling for the anthem?

"First and foremost, I completely support them. There's no other two people that have been in my corner more than those two guys. I explained how difficult this whole situation has been for me the past couple of days because I'm leader of Black Players For Change and how much has been on my plate and these guys have been behind me every second of the way so nobody should be coming at them. I've said from the very beginning that standing or kneeling for the national anthem is acceptable. Because, the conversation at the end of the day it's turned sideways. These guys show their support in so many different ways for us. It wasn't with the national anthem tonight, but they take knees other times, they wear shirts, they support us behind the scenes and for me that's more than enough."

How exhausting has this stretch been for you? How are you doing?

"I think exhausted is the right word. But I think the thing that lifts me up is knowing how many allies that we've had. Not only over the past couple of days, but the past months. But Wednesday night was chaotic in a lot of ways because it wasn't planned. All I can say is that the narrative gets spun that it was a lot of the black players driving this and it was, but I can't understate how many players of other races joined in this fight and were real leaders. And honestly, not all of those games get postponed if other people, outside of black players, don't step up to the plate and they did for us. And because of that we were able to show a unified front. And that makes impact. So, I can only say thank you to those guys and thank you to everyone that put their necks on the line. That's what makes me feel better and lifts me up in this moment."

MICHAEL BRADLEY - MIDFIELDER, TORONTO FC

Can you talk about your decision to stand for the national anthem?

"It's obviously something that I've thought a lot about. I spend a lot of time reading, speaking to different people. And I could talk about myself and give you some of my thought process, but it's not about me. 30 seconds talking about myself is 30 seconds that we should be talking about the real issues that exist in our society. The conversation and the rhetoric that has been created around the decision for people to peacefully protest by kneeling, has been designed by people who don't want to see change. To take away from the real conversations that we need to be having every single day. That's what they want. They want this divisive, hateful rhetoric where there's no nuance, there's no middle ground. For me, I will always be a strong voice for racial equality, and I will continue to try to do everything I can to use the platform I have to talk about things that I believe are important. When you look at our society right now it's heartbreaking to see the systemic racism that exists after hundreds of years. The social injustice, the police brutality, it all has to end. I wholeheartedly support Black Lives Matter. I will continue to try to live my life in a way where the people that I deal with on a daily basis, the things that I do, that I'm able to help in any way that I can to enact that change. I spent that moment during the national anthem thinking of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Jacob Blake. Thinking about them, thinking about their families. I want justice for them, and I want to live in a world and society where the hateful, hurtful things that have been going on for hundreds of years come to an end."

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