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Toronto's offensive players are still rusty after the lengthy World Cup break. In a match that featured a total of 13 shots, no goals or cards from the two teams, there weren't many moments to choose from. But a Gabe Gala miss at the 84th minute let Los Angeles off the hook as Toronto pressed for maximum points in the final moments of the game.
Dwayne De Rosario made a charging run into the area and cut the ball to the middle of the box. Chad Barrett stepped over the rolling ball to draw the defenders' attention, leaving Gala to pounce. The Toronto winger's first-time volley sailed over the bar.
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A lot has been made of Los Angeles playing without U.S. World Cup players Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle. However, attacking players Tristan Bowen and Michael Stephens have filled in well in their absence. Their impact needed to be minimized for Toronto to have a chance.
This was effectively performed by Toronto's backline of Nana Attakora, Adrian Cann, Dan Gargan and Raivis Hscanovics. Further attention to Stephens, the playmaker, was paid by Amadou Sanyang. Bowen made a dangerous darting run against Hscanovics in the second half, but aside from that the duo was shut down.
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Unlike the last time Toronto met Los Angeles on May 15 (another 0-0 draw), there were no late game heroics needed from Stefan Frei to rescue the point. That's a credit to Toronto's defence.
Two players that stood out were Dan Gargan and Adrian Cann. While Cann received the Carlsberg Man of the Match, Gargan also deserves MOTM mention for helping to keep Los Angeles inactive on their left flank. Gargan also ventured forward to help the attack and made several strong throw-ins that unsettled the Galaxy in their area.
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Toronto (4-4-2): Stefan Frei, Raivis Hscanovics, Adrian Cann, Nana Attakora, Dan Gargan, Nick LaBrocca, Martin Saric (Julian de Guzman 59'), Amadou Sanyang, Jacob Peterson (Gabe Gala 71'), Dwayne De Rosario, O'Brian White (Chad Barrett 46').
Unused Subs: Jon Conway, Ty Harden, Maxim Usanov, Fuad Ibrahim.
Discipline: None
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Thursday, July 1 v. Houston
MLS - Week 14
7:00 PM (Rogers Sportsnet)
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GAME NOTES:.
Houston had been one of the most consistent and defensively stout teams of the last four seasons in Major League Soccer. But suddenly this year the Dynamo are looking average and conceding lots of goals.
The club has yet to win two in a row in 2010 and enters the match at BMO Field winless in four.
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| 7-6 |
Los Angeles outshot Toronto (LA landed four on target to TFC's one). |
| 3-1 |
Los Angeles had more set-piece opportunities with an edge on corners. |
| 15 |
Total number of fouls in the match (Toronto with 7). |
| 3 |
Toronto has been involved in this many scoreless match in MLS in 2010. |
| 9 |
Toronto is undefeated in this many matches from all competitions. |
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"It was a typical game after three weeks of not playing. I don't think either of the teams was very sharp." - Preki on the lack of fluency in the game as both teams failed to hold sustained possession.
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"It was disturbing. You've still got a job to do. Guys got here. We watched a little television. We saw the police cars on fire." - Adrian Cann on the violence that engulfed downtown Toronto due to the G20 conference taking place just a few kilometres from BMO Field.
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"I live right over in that area. I passed tons of cops and all kinds of roadblocks. It was an adventure." - Dan Gargan on the travel to the match at BMO Field from his downtown Toronto home during the G20.
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