Toronto FC (2) - Columbus Crew SC (2) Post Game Summary
August 17, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Toronto FC News Release
TORONTO FC (2) - COLUMBUS CREW SC (2) POST GAME SUMMARY
SCORING SUMMARY
TFC - Jonathan Osorio 42' (Jozy Altidore)
CLM - Pedro Santos 48' (Wil Trapp)
CLM - David Accam 82' (Harrison Afful)
TFC - Jozy Altidore 90' (Auro, Marky Delgado)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CLM - Jonathan Mensah 90'+2 (caution)
RECORDS
TORONTO FC 9-10-7 34 points
COLUMBUS CREW SC 7-14-6 27 points
LINEUPS
TORONTO FC - Quentin Westberg; Auro, Omar Gonzalez, Chris Mavinga, Justin Morrow (Richie Laryea HT'); Nick DeLeon (Marky Delgado 59'), Jonathan Osorio, Michael Bradley (C), Alejandro Pozuelo; Patrick Mullins (Drew Moor 72'), Jozy Altidore
Substitutes Not Used: Alex Bono, Tsubasa Endoh, Erickson Gallardo, Nicolas Benezet
COLUMBUS - Eloy Room; Harrison Afful, Jonathan Mensah, Josh Williams, Connor Maloney (David Accam 80'); Wil Trapp (C), Artur, Luis Diaz (Romario Williams 79'), Pedro Santos, Youness Mokhtar (Luis Argudo 67'); Gyasi Zardes
Substitutes Not Used: Jon Kempin, Alex Crognale, Eduardo Sosa, David Guzman
GREG VANNEY - HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC
On if the club is getting close to where he wants it to be
I think there are signs. The challenge that we are having is when the game changes and adapts, and they run a play. We've got to adapt with the game and regain the balance of power. We set up some things in the first half where we thought we were able to break them down, overload certain spaces that we saw in the build up to the game and the preparation. But as they adjust, we need to continue to adjust. We need to keep numbers higher on the field. I felt like too many of our passes from the backline to the midfield were still in front of their midfielders, and so we were finding passes in front of the midfielder instead of passes behind the midfield and finding them there so we could unbalance the back four. We just didn't create enough problems for them because everything was in front of them. So again, it's once the game starts and being able to read things and adapt into the game. That's the piece with this group that connected together that we've got to continue to build on. Like I said, there are good moments, but there are also coupled with moments that aren't good enough.
On Jozy Altidore being more than just a goal scorer
Jozy can do anything he wants on the field, that's the way it goes. He has enough physical presence and technique to do whatever he wants. Again, the key is getting him the ball. The key is finding him in the right places. The key is running off of him. The key is we get numbers so that we can find him in situations that are advantageous for him. We got to put crosses in front of the box like Auro did to give ourselves a chance to get on the end of them. As a group we just have to keep working and adapting through the game. For Jozy, it's a good night from that perspective.
On how close Erickson Gallardo and Nicolas Benezet are to taking to the field
They're both guys [Erickson Gallardo and Nicolas Benezet] that I really expected to play tonight, but neither of them are really a defensive minded player. I felt like in the second half specifically, I didn't know that we could turn the game around from an attacking perspective, I felt like we needed to plug holes. Gyasi was getting chances, and we needed to have a solution. If we were to have been more patient with the ball, and we would have been setting up a little better for our attackers involved in the game, then for me it would have been the right situation for Gallardo or Benezet. A lot of the interchanges were happening on that right side, which meant there needed to be communication. So from that perspective I slid Jonathan [Osorio] over there so that he and Richie [Laryea] would hopefully be able to communicate through some of those scenarios a little bit cleaner and that's the reason. I had every intention for those guys to play tonight, but then when you start weighing out how the game was looking and going, I just felt like we needed something different.
JONATHAN OSORIO - MIDFIELDER, TORONTO FC
On scoring against Crew SC
More than anything I'm just happy to help the team. For me it doesn't matter who scores the goals. Of course, I'm happy that I could help the team that way this game. It's been tough for me this year I think, physically, but today I felt good. It's too bad we couldn't walk away with three points.
On whether losing the lead in the second half impacted the team's morale
Yeah of course, anytime you lose the lead in a span of ten minutes in the beginning of the second half it's hard, it's hard to come back from. But, credit to us, we kept fighting and we did get an equalizer to get a point out of it, but I think if we look at the bigger picture it feels more like two points dropped.
On whether Toronto FC can make a playoff run
Of course. How can you not? How can you not look around this locker room and believe that you're a playoff team? But it's one thing believing in it and saying it and it's another thing showing it. We have to show it on the field. That's the last thing we have to do and we have to realize we have a big chance. If we turn that switch, a lot of things can happen for this club.
JOZY ALTIDORE - FORWARD, TORONTO FC
On getting a draw on the road
It just makes each game more important. It's sometimes discouraging but I think we're moving in the right direction as we're gaining points here at the end of the year.
On Toronto FC not playing consistent in both halves
Yeah, it's difficult, it's difficult when you dominate games the way we dominate. But it's hard, you know we're not the same team in the sense of some of the quality we used to have where you dominate for a lot of points in the game and we're just able to not come away with anything. Today we were and second half was our Achilles heel. Again, the first two minutes wasn't good enough. Like I said before, the fact that we stayed in the game, being able to get the goal at the end was huge and it sets up for another huge game with a team [Montreal Impact] directly in front of us and they're coming to Toronto, so we have to make it a difficult place for them to play.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from August 17, 2019
- Ten-Man Chicago Fire Blank Philadelphia Union 2-0, Move Within One Point of a Playoff Spot - Chicago Fire FC
- Chris Wondolowski scores 150th goal in a Quakes uniform; Andres Rios makes MLS debut - San Jose Earthquakes
- Dynamo Rally for 2-2 Draw Behind Manotas Brace - Houston Dynamo FC
- Notes & Quotes: FC Cincinnati 1 - 4 New York City FC - New York City FC
- Toronto FC (2) - Columbus Crew SC (2) Post Game Summary - Toronto FC
- Sporting Claws Back to Claim 2-1 Win over San Jose - Sporting Kansas City
- Union suffer defeat to Fire on road - Philadelphia Union
- FC Dallas Earns a Point in Comeback Draw against Montreal Impact - FC Dallas
- MNUFC Draw Orlando 1-1 Despite Strong Performance - Minnesota United FC
- Postgame Note: Houston Dynamo 2, Colorado Rapids 2 - Colorado Rapids
- Allan Cruz scores FCC-leading fifth goal of 2019 - FC Cincinnati
- Impact and FC Dallas Draw 3-3 - Club de Foot Montreal
- Orlando City Earn Fourth-Consecutive Result with 1-1 Draw at Minnesota - Orlando City SC
- Red Bulls and Revolution Draw 1-1 at RBA - New York Red Bulls
- New England Revolution Loan Cody Cropper to Harford Athletic - New England Revolution
- Revolution Set Club Record in 1-1 Draw with New York Red Bulls - New England Revolution
- Breaking Down the XI | On Short Rest in Minnesota - Orlando City SC
- Know Your Opponent | Minnesota United FC - Orlando City SC
- Game Notes: Sounders FC at La Galaxy - August 17, 2019 - Seattle Sounders FC
- Storylines | City vs. Minnesota United FC - Orlando City SC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Toronto FC Stories
- Toronto FC Loan Two Players to Toronto FC II for MLS Next Pro Season Opener in Philadelphia
- Toronto FC Trade Latif Blessing to Houston Dynamo FC for Gam
- Toronto FC (1) - Charlotte FC (0) Postgame Summary
- Toronto FC Loan Forward Hugo Mbongue to San Antonio FC
- New England Revolution (0) - Toronto FC (1) Postgame Summary