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Photo Credit: John Jacques
TFC Hosts New York Red Bulls In Must-Win Game For Playoff Hopefuls
By In Toronto FC’s penultimate MLS regular season match, all the stakes are to be played for as the New York Red Bulls visit BMO Field. The action tonight will unfold just a few days before Supporters Shield winners Inter Miami come to town on Saturday, though the pressure of the season-closing home stretch begins today.
Toronto FC will play what can be considered their two most important games of the MLS season over the next four days, with the Reds in desperate need of points to keep aholod of their Eastern Conference playoff position.
The Reds find themselves level on points with Philadelphia and rivals CF Montreal, though the latter two clubs have a game in hand. Along with them, all of Atlanta United, Nashville SC, and New England are all within points-reach of TFC and have at least one game-in-hand over the Reds, too.
Toronto FC had the opportunity to create some breathing space last weekend, but succumbed to a late equalizer against the Chicago Fire that puts the team in a must-win situation against the New York Red Bulls tonight.
“We could have been two points clear of the other teams,” stated Herdman after the Chicago draw. “It is what it is… we’ve got to win these two games and get six points.”
This home game isn’t the first matchup between the two sides this season. In fact, the two sides have faced each other twice this year already.
The first meeting was back in June, where New York cruised to a 3-0 home win. The second encounter for both teams was in the Leagues Cup in July for the group stage. That game ended 0-0 and went to penalties, where Toronto handled business and won 5-4 in the penalty shootout.
Since the Leagues Cup break, the New York Red Bulls have struggled and find themselves winless in their last six games, most recently losing 5-1 to rival side New York City FC. Nonetheless, they’re up in sixth place and are assured a playoff spot.
Still, being only two points out of fourth will surely motivate them for a salivating top-four finish, of course, the possibility of securing a home-first round game in the postseason.
“They’re a hard team to play against,” Herdman acknowledged to the media on Tuesday. “We know that it’ll be difficult conditions. I think the pitch is going to be a little bumpy.”
As the post-season position hangs on a thread, the battle at BMO Field sees Deybi Flores back in the mix after he served a one-game suspension for yellow card acumulation. The likes of Nicksoen Gomis, Henry Wingo, Derrick Etienne Jr, and Charlie Sharp are expected to all be available for tonight’s play. Italian star Lorenzo Insigne is questionable after suffering from a calf injury that forced him out of training on Monday. He did not return on Tuesday.
“He’s such a big player for us. We’re going to do everything we can to see if we can get him involved tomorrow, and he’s willing to do everything as well,” Herdman told reporters on yesterday.
Fans can catch the action tonight with kickoff set at 7:30 PM EST. Toronto FC will be hoping the home advantage will be enough to get the crucial and much-needed victory in the club’s final home stretch of the season.
Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques
