Toronto FC vs. FC Dallas | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Toronto FC vs. FC Dallas
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 13
BMO Field — Toronto
May 25 - 8:00 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/3/4/5 in Canada, ESPN+ in US

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Toronto FC look to build on a much-needed victory over Orlando City SC when the Reds host an FC Dallas side that has only lost once this year and is unbeaten in their last three games.

Toronto FC got players back from injury and answered the bell in a gritty 2-1 win over Orlando City last Friday at BMO Field, while FC Dallas squandered two points by conceding two late goals in a 2-2 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

The Reds won the last meeting between the teams at BMO Field, 1-0 on May 7, 2016 – their first win against FC Dallas since the 2007 season. FCD won eight of the 13 regular-season encounters in between, with five draws.

Toronto FC

Greg Vanney made three changes to the side that fell to the New England Revolution, 3-2, the previous week with Eriq Zavaleta and Chris Mavinga returning from injury to partner in central defense, allowing Michael Bradley to move back up the field behind Victor Vazquez, who also came back from injury to start in a changed 4-4-1-1 formation.

After Jay Chapman opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, Toronto FC (3-6-1) had the critical immediate response to Cristian Higuita’s equalizer 10 minutes later when Ryan Telfer netted the dramatic winner, his first for TFC, moments later.

“We gutted out a win,” Vanney said after the match. “Aside from that it wasn’t a tactical beauty, it wasn’t perfect by any stretch. There was some good things in there, but at the end of the day, when you’re missing a lot of your attacking guys, your left back, you’re missing pieces, for me it’s not a gauge on how beautiful is the game going to be. It’s about doing the things you have to do to get the result on the day.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: GK - Alex Bono
Injury Report: OUT: F - Jozy Altidore (foot surgery), D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), D - Ashtone Morgan (hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: M - Nicolas Hasler (quadricep strain), D - Justin Morrow (calf strain), D - Nick Hagglund (hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-1-1, right to left)
GK: Clint Irwin — Auro, Eriq Zavaleta, Chris Mavinga, Gregory van der Wiel — Marky Delgado, Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio, Ryan Telfer — Victor Vazquez — Sebastian Giovinco

Notes: Toronto have conceded four goals from outside the box this season, tied for the second most of any team in the league. The Reds gave up just three goals from outside the box all of last season, including the playoffs. … Toronto has lost two of their last six home games in league play (3W-1D). They had lost two of their previous 22 home games (14W-6D).

FC Dallas

Oscar Pareja made just one change from the side that defeated the LA Galaxy, 3-2, the previous week with Maynor Figueroa replacing the suspended Reto Ziegler in central defense.

Reggie Cannon scored his first career goal five minutes from halftime and Maxi Urruti netted what appeared to be the insurance goal for FC Dallas (4-1-5) in the 78th minute, but Vancouver roared back to level on an 82nd-minute own goal by Figueroa and a Kei Kamara penalty kick in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time.

“We can’t complain about the chances we created,” Pareja said after the match. “The team scored two good goals. We had chances to score a couple more with the goal open that would decide the game and then we end up with that end which is very heartbreaking for our players. I hope that we all learn from it and keep going.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Matt Hedges
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kris Reaves (sports hernia surgery)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Jimmy Maurer — Reggie Cannon, Matt Hedges, Reto Ziegler, Anton Nedyalkov — Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo — Santiago Mosquera, Mauro Diaz, Roland Lamah — Maxi Urruti

Notes: Mauro Diaz has eight assists in his last nine appearances, including assists in consecutive games. He has only had assists in three straight regular season games twice in his MLS career before. … FC Dallas has won just one of their last 11 games on the road (7L-3D). FC Dallas has not scored multiple goals in any of the 11 games.