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Chances were few in a match that witnessed just five shots on goal. Toronto conceded when Adrian Cann's mistake gifted Teal Bunbury the chance that put Kansas City over the Reds 1-0 on Saturday night.
Cann tried to get under a long ball played into the Toronto half at the 62nd minute. His attempt to head it forward took a bad touch, knocking the ball toward Stefan Frei's goal. Canada U-20 international Bunbury outran countryman Nana Attakora into space. From the top of the box he placed a powerful header that was tipped by Frei but a richocet looped behind him, hit the underside of the crossbar and fell into the goal.
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The Maicon-Mista partnership was revealed for the first time to start an MLS match and it nearly resulted in a first half goal for the Spanish forward. Maicon floated in a ball from the right side that Mista struck with his left foot after getting in between a pair of defenders. KC keeper Jimmy Nielsen though, just as he had done on June 5 to keep Toronto from scoring at BMO Field, got a hand to this chance and denied Mista.
Aside from this, very few probing questions were asked of the Kansas City defence. The second half introduction of TFC top scorers Dwayne De Rosario and Chad Barrett failed to create anything of note.
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Nobody stood out in this match and had it not been for Nielsen's save and Bunbury's goal, there may not have been any talking points either. It's a good time then to introduce an anti-Man of the Match distinction.
Kansas City's Roger Espinoza put on a play-acting clinic in the second half to take this dishonour. He tripped up LaBrocca late in the match but stayed down to mask his own guilt. Shortly thereafter, the Honduran tried to get LaBrocca into discipline trouble by embellishing on a slight contact. Referee Abiodun Okulaja didn't buy any of it. Anti-MOTM second prize to Kei Kamara for his antics on a Nick Garcia foul earlier.
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Toronto (4-4-2): Stefan Frei, Nana Attakora, Adrian Cann, Nick Garcia Dan Gargan 46, Julian de Guzman, Joseph Nane (Gabe Gala 73'), Nick LaBrocca, Jacob Peterson (Dwayne De Rosario 58'), Maicon Santos, Mista (Chad Barrett 58').
Unused Subs: Jon Conway, Raivis Hscanovics, Maxim Usanov, O'Brian White.
Goals: Kansas City: Bunbury 62'
Discipline: Caution - Toronto: Cann 22' LaBrocca 86' Kansas City: Bunbury 68'
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Tuesday, August 2 @ Motagua
Champions League
Prelim Round 2nd Leg
8:00 PM (GOLTV Canada)
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GAME NOTES:.
Toronto's 1-0 victory in the opening match of the knockout round puts the Reds in good stead heading into the return leg in Tegucigalpa. A further boost is given by the news that Honduran World Cup star Georgie Welcome has left Motagua to join Scottish club Rangers in Glasgow.
A draw or a one goal loss in which Toronto scores will be good enough for the Reds to progress into the group stage of the Champions League.
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| 11-10 |
Toronto held an edge in shots. The total number suggest there was action in this match, but only five were on target (3-2 for KC). |
| 55% |
Kansas City held the better of possession over 90 minutes. |
| 2 |
Number of saves Frei made in the match, including a highlight variety stop on Josh Wolff at the 90th minute. |
| 5-3 |
Kansas City held an edge on corners, but set-pieces were virtually irrelevant in this match. |
| 1 |
Number of away wins for Toronto against MLS opposition this season against a draw and six losses. |
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"I for sure thought we didn't deserve to lose. Not that we played great ... we made one mistake and we paid for it. Right now goals and chances are not coming easy for us ... (but) we don't have time to be upset." - Preki on leaving Kansas City without any points (and heading to Honduras for Champions League) on a night when he was honoured for his service to the Wizards and U.S. soccer.
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"Not taking anything away form Kansas City ... but if you look at our schedule and how the other teams did, a point would be real nice right now.." - Dwayne De Rosario on favourable out-of-town results but the captain insists that Toronto has to make its own destiny.
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"You have to stay hydrated and wait for the sun to go down, just push through it really ... we need to put this one behind us pretty quickly." - Nick LaBrocca on playing in the heat, a possible culprit for Toronto's away form. He wants to move on from the loss and look toward Motagua.
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