Toronto FC scores first goal, wins first match

It took a while but Mo Johnston's team has found the net and the win column. Toronto FC rattled off three goals to beat the Chicago Fire, 3-1, on Saturday. Former Red Bull Edson Buddle notched two assists and newly-signed forward Danny Dichio scored Toronto's first goal before earning a red card.

Am I surprised by the result? I'm surprised that Chicago lost (as my choice of Matt Pickens and Gonzalo Segares for my SBI fantasy team will reveal) but I'm not surprised to see Toronto put together a solid performance. There is no doubting that Johnston has build himself a solid collection of attacking talent. The question was always the defense. The additions of Kevin Goldthwaite (who scored a goal today) and Marvell Wynne have certainly helped.

To be fair to Chicago the fact that the game went to 10 V 10 after Dichio and Diego Gutierrez were red carded probably favored Toronto, which has significantly more team speed.

Is this result a sign that things are turning around for TFC? I would say that it should mean that going to BMO Field won't be an automatic three points but Toronto is still a long-shot for a playoff berth in year one.

What do you think about Toronto's history-making victory? Feel free to express your opinions below.

Comments

[Will]

I loved the atmosphere as well as the game. I keep thinking that's how RBNY games will look when Red Bull Park opens. Lots of excitement.

[danny]

great game, edu played with a lot confidence. watching wynne burst past 4 players for in an 80 yard sprint gave me goose bumps. it was an all around fun game to watch. the goals, the fans, the fights, the seat cushions. that is the atmosphere the league needs.

[Stone]

As a neutral observer, I couldn't help but smile when I saw the first goal scored with a great play by Buddle and a workman-like effort on Dichico or whatever his name is to get on the end of it.

The excitement of the crowd is absolutely amazing and I wish teams across the MLS would take notice. If every game were like this, the level of play would increase because every player knows they play better when the crowd is behind them.

And how about the frisbee celebrations!! That was the best sight of the season so far.

The referee completely had the red cards wrong. If anything Pickens should have been carded, but Gutierrez was definitely playing peacemaker and I think Dichico should have received a yellow along with Pickens.

The other two Toronto goals were clinical. Glad to see Edu get his. Toronto played better with 10 players possessing the ball, etc. than with 11.

Chicago's lack of creativity is going to hurt them this season.

Congrats to Toronto! Look forward to the other games tonight and tomorrow.

[kpugs]

Dichio bit someone...straight red in any league in any country.

Pickens kicked Dichio to spark the fracas...another straight red.

Finally Gutierrez shoved his hand into the face of a player, I'm pretty sure that's a FIFA rule as a straight red also.

No yellows at all should have been given out, should have been three reds.

[Colin]

Those were actually seat cushions the team gave away for the grand opening of BMO Field... I wonder whose idea that was...

Anyway. The team has taken a while to come together, but it's finally happening.

I agree on the red cards. The ref also took far too long to try and break up the melee. He came dangerously close to losing control of the match on numerous occasions.

All four goals were great. Goldthwaite has been Johnston's best addition after the season started (Toronto FC fans, however, might disagree with me and say Dichio).

[Derek]

Great game, truly exciting to see the Toronto fans rewarded with 3 beautiful goals. I thought the seat cushion celebration got pretty tedious by goal #3 but I guess the fans have been waiting a while to celebrate. I've really enjoyed this season...a lot of excitement with Beckham and Blanco still due to arrive.

[sublicon]

when the hell did Dichio bite someone?

[Matt]

We'll see how much of the stadium is filled in the dog days of summer but so far it's great to see the support that Toronto is getting. Intelligent fans as well. Quite a contrast from other teams with soccer-specific stadiums like Chicago, Colorado and Dallas who still can't get fans to fill the place. Could Canada kick start MLS to the next level of fandom? Bring on expansion to Montreal and Vancouver. Seattle and Portland too before MLS fills up.

All that said, I wonder how much having a stadium downtown attributes to Toronto's success with attendance so far.

[kpugs]

They showed the replay several times, trying to figure out why the heck Dichio got sent off (at first it looked like it got hosed). Then they tried super-slow mo. You can't tell who it is or what body part (looks like maybe a hand), but Dichio got in a good chomp and that was when the ref had finally arrived at the scene.

I'm betting no officials saw Perkins kick Dichio but that the ref arrived just in time to get a close up of Dichio biting whoever the unlucky player was.

A crazy scene!

[George]

The atmosphere at Toronto FC games is awesome. The passion of the fans alone elevates MLS to a higher level.

I have to agree with the earlier comment about how other MLS clubs with soccer specific stadiums have not experienced the kind of fan support that Toronto FC has.

[Allen]

Chicago does have a good D. But as I said last week [http://levyashin.blogspot.com/2007/05/week-5-power-rankings.html], I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose 3 of their next 4. They've lost 2 in a row and face FCD at Bridgeview and then face NYRB on the road.

[Uncle Dave]

Man I really do finding myself rooting hard for toronto

[JHJG89]

After last night, with twellman, Donovan, and Harrington doing so much damage in the Fantasy League, and since I am a man short (so I'm not getting points), I've fallen all the way down to 102nd place!!! Wow...:-(

[AutoXprize - 100MPG challenge]

It was an awesome game! The best MLS game I watched so far

[VPjr]

I am convinced that there are plenty of passionate US soccer fans (special shout out to those Section 8 hoolies who came up to Toronto and represented Chicago soccer fans well) but Toronto is, in my opinion, the truest soccer hotbed in North America. The multicultural nature of the city makes this a no brainer. Now the Toronto soccer community really has something to cheer for that is our own! No longer do we have to cheer for our father's club team or our mother's national team. Now we have something that we can throw our full weight behind. We have our own heroes, playing the beautiful game only a few feet away from us as opposed to thousands of miles away. TFC might not be the quality of ManU, Juventus, Barca, etc... but it's ours. We TFC fans hope to lead a soccer revolution in North America. We all have it in us to make MLS one of the top leagues in the world but we need to support our teams through thick and thin, wear our passion on our sleeve and make the people who think they would rather watch a sleepy baseball game in the middle of summer wonder what they are missing by not heading to check out their local MLS squad. We Toronto fans will keep this up...don't you worry about that. Every game will be close to a sell out this year. The challenge is now yours, US Fans, to try to come close to matching us. Show us what you are made of and make this league shine. And if you can't, just move a couple of your teams up here (Montreal and Vancouver would certainly be good MLS cities) and we'll show you even more passion.

[Nordy]

I just saw the highlights, but props to the TFC fans!

[TwistedTidings]

VPjr,

How many MLS games have you attended outside Toronto? You guys definitely are excited about your first year in the league, but other places, like Chicago, DC and LA, have organized and vocal fans as well. Check them out.

[VPjr]

TwistedTidings

I've been to Jersey to see a Red Bulls game (crappy atmosphere, crappy team, crappy stadium).

I went to a Chivas game last year (mediocre atmosphere, half empty stadium). Stadium is nice though.

I went to Gillette to see a Revs game (bad place to watch soccer, generally sleepy fans)

I have not been to DC or Chicago yet (that's coming this year). I know DC fans are pretty good so I look forward to enjoying a TFC match there in person. The Chicago fans who came to TO were excellent (i gave them props in my first post).

However, having only 4 good crowd experiences out of a 13 team league is nothing to brag about. Part of the problem is that so many stadiums are terrible for soccer (i.e. Giants, Arrowhead, Gillette, the place that Salt Lake is playing at). The teams with a decent park tend to have good fans.