Toronto FC had an extended stay in the Lone Star state as a postponed match from Saturday night kicked off late Sunday night in Houston. The Reds were on a roll of late, having won four in a row, while Houston have been woeful in 2016, sitting dead last in the Western Conference.
Greg Vanney made a slight adjustment from recent results, starting Jozy Altidore up top over the likes of Jordan Hamilton and Tosaint Ricketts, both of whom have been impact players over the last month. Toronto are a side who have been regaining fitness of key players as along with Alitdore, Michael Bradley is making his second start since returning from injury, while the side is still waiting on the return of Will Johnson and Clint Irwin. On defence, most notably was another match with three centrebacks as Drew Moor anchored a trio of himself, Nick Hagglund and Josh Williams.
Despite Houston struggling through 2016, the weather conditions of both a soaked field and deep humidity, would make it a tough encounter as the Dynamo are desperate to turn their season around.
The Saturday night that wasn't
The Opening 45
It couldn't start off worse for Toronto, who likely would not have been in the best of mindset having have remained in Houston for an extra day and having to hold off on preparation for an extra 24hours before facing their opposition.
In just the 8th minute, Houston attacked Toronto on a dispossession and literally sliced through the side to finish the opening goal. Andrew Wenger picked up the ball down the right side, drove twenty yards out, slid the ball into the centre to the Colombian Mauro Manotas who chipped the ball onto the path of Cristian Maidana who on the right of net, smashed it past Alex Bono.
The question now would be how or if TFC could respond. Jozy Altidore spent the first half of the season both injured and much-maligned, but since returning has played with something to prove. In the 24th minute, a TFC counter had Marky Delgado streaking out wide who put in a perfect cross to Altidore whose header forced a solid diving save from keeper Joe Willis.
It was an impressive header from Altidore, however, on the ensuing corner the best was yet to come. Giovinco took the ball and saw Altidore moving into free space near the top of the 18 - the Italian opted to slot a low pass onto the path of Altidtore who with the ball slightly behind him, simpley hammered the ball into the top of goal for the equalizer.
Right at the end of the first half, Toronto looked to pull away as Giovinco was found in a good position in open space 1v1 with defender Kenny Mansally. A ball over the top from Alex Bono and a footrace saw Giovinco begin to pull away as Mansally hauled down the Italian just outside the 18 yard box that lead to a straight red.
Toronto FC supporters would no doubt be conflicted with this development as their last loss came with a player advantage against San Jose (albeit two men sent off), and from the second half on would be a barometer of how far the side has come since and whether they could close off the result against a weak opposition down a man.
The Second Half
It would not be the pile of pressure one would hope, and there are certainly intangible reasons for that, but TFC still had their chances to pull away from Houston and leave with all three points.
Notably in the 64th minute a short spell of possession created a wide ball that was swung into the 18 to an all-alone Jozy Altidore who had snuck behind the last defender. Altidore struck the ball perfectly, but directed it right onto the left post and it would be cleared wide.
TFC supporters would have had their hearts in their mouth at the 83rd as the infamous set piece looked once again to sink the Reds. From just over 30 yards out, Houston swung a ball into the 18 that missed everyone and went back post to Will Bruin who shot the ball well on goal and Alex Bono just got a hand on it to deflect wide and see the ball eventually cleared. Moments later, another free kick saw the initial ball deflect wide to Collen Warner who hit it very well to the top left corner, forcing Bono to full stretch and ensure it did barely go over.
TFC would have one last chance to clinch the win as in the 89th Ashtone Morgan would take the ball down the left, curl in a perfect cross back post to Altidore, whose deflected shot was unfortunately cleared off the line.
The match would end 1-1, to mixed feelings as it was a match where three points would have been the ideal result. However, there are several factors to consider when deciding how critical to be of the draw.
Obviously the weather in Houston is always something to weigh in, even though Toronto has been on par over the last few months in terms of humidity, south Texas is another beast when it comes to how hot it can get and how it effects stamina. Waiting 24hrs off a usual week of preparation mentally would have effected the side and despite that did well. Even with that said, Houston are a very poor side and like the San Jose match, Toronto had wounded opposition for 45 minutes and that should have been enough to finish them off.
This could be a forgotten performance in the grand scheme of the season and coming off a four game winning streak, the next two away games against two other teams where a result should be in TFC's favour will determine how this match is regarded.
Man of the Match
Jozy Altidore
The American International has quieted his critics since returning from injury and has now scored in three of his last four games for TFC. Finishing has been the biggest concern when it comes to the hulking forward, and in this match he did have several opportunities to take the game by the throat and stamp his authority. However, one cannot criticize his commitment and the diving header that lead to the corner setting up his goal was an impressive sequence and hopefully Altidore continues to play with the confidence of a target forward that Toronto needs to create a truly balanced attack.
Toronto FC Starting XI: Bono; Morrow (Morgan 41'); Moor; Williams; Hagglund; Bloom (Chapman 16'); Bradley; Osorio; Delgado; Altidore (Ricketts 71'); Giovinco.
Houston Dynamo Starting XI: Willis; Mansally (Red Card 45+2); Agus; Williams; Anibaba; Garcia; Maidana (Clark 65'); Alex; Warner; Wenger (Rodriguez 46'); Manotas (Bruin 83')
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