Confidence will be at an all-time high for Toronto FC tonight when they travel to Century Link Field to take on the Seattle Sounders. Toronto is coming off a mid-week win at the Home Depot Center over the LA Galaxy. The win was monumental for the club for a number of reasons. First off, it saw them through to the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals, the first Canadian club to ever qualify for that stage of the competition. It is also a dream start to the 2012 season for TFC, one that will give them all the confidence in the world going forward.
Aron Winter’s Toronto FC had plenty of ups and downs last season, but there was perhaps nothing as dismal as the team’s 2011 road record. Toronto FC finished the season with just one road win, picking up a rather unimpressive ten points all season on the road. The club’s win Wednesday over a Galaxy team that did not lose a home game all season in 2011 with give Winter’s young club the confidence they need headed into their 2012 season opener.
Tonight marks the start of the 2012 season for Toronto with the team’s sights set on their first playoff berth in franchise history. The season opener will be a good measuring stick to see how far Toronto has come since last season. The club is winless in three games at Seattle and in six all-time meeting between the two clubs; Toronto has just one win, one tie and four losses. This will be the only meeting between the two teams this season.
Toronto will field a line-up very similar to the one that knocked off LA on Wednesday. Jamaican Ryan Johnson, whose incredible start to 2012 is a sign of big things to come for the striker this season, will start up front alongside Danny Koevermans and Joao Plata.
Koevermans was unable to find the back of the net in the cup tie with the Galaxy, but there is no reason to worry just yet. His eight goals in ten games with the club last season were unrivaled in that span. Koevermans insists, however, that this is a much better team than in 2011 and goals can be expected to come from all over the pitch this year.
At midfield, Frings will likely be moved back up to a central midfield role after spending the majority of the CCL quarterfinals at center back. Frings will likely be joined in the middle by Julian De Guzman and Eric Avila. Avila was cup-tied making him unavailable to use in the two matches versus the Galaxy. He will provide a boost to the club’s already seemingly potent attack.
Rookie Luis Silva showed flashes of great things to come in his two appearances against the Galaxy (one start, one sub). Silva is still very young however and much like Joao Plata last season, Winter will likely ease him into the starting line-up as the season progresses. For now, he will be used as an appealing attacking option off the bench.
At the back Morgan and Eckersley will continue to play outside while two of Ty Harden, Doneil Henry, Miguel Aceval and newly signed Logan Emory will start at center back. It is likely that Emory will see some playing time tonight either as a starter or a sub. Harden is expected to get the start at right center back even after a lackluster performance on Wednesday in which he scored the game’s only goal, for the Galaxy.
In net Winter has a controversy brewing. Frei was the team’s hero in net in 2011, but Kocic has played exceptional in limited action including a few huge stops Wednesday night in LA that helped see Toronto through to the semi-finals. It is a tough decision for Winter, but one he certainly will not complain about.
If Frei gets the start tonight it is safe to assume they will split the games for Winter. If Kocic starts, however, you can bet the job is officially his. If this is the case, Frei could be used as trade bait for Winter who you can be sure would like to bring in a bit more experience to the defense.
Winter has had time to build his team and now it’s time for results. The 2012 season kicks off with high expectations for Toronto, and the realistic goal of reaching the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
Prediction: Toronto 1, Seattle 1
(image courtesy of torontofc.ca)
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