Early Goal Gives Toronto FC Much Needed Home Win Against the Chicago Fire

It was much closer than it should have been, but Toronto FC got a much needed 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire today at BMO Field. It was only their second MLS win in the last eight matches.

Justin Morrow scored the lone goal of the match just nine minutes in, and Toronto FC held on from there to earn the clean sheet. Alex Bono had his first professional clean sheet in the victory.

From the opening whistle, Toronto FC looked to put pressure on the Chicago Fire. It paid off in the ninth minutes, when Sebastian Giovinco played a ball in behind the Chicago backline. Both Jordan Hamilton and Morrow were running towards it, but Hamilton wisely backed off and let Morrow finish the chance to put Toronto up 1-0.

Straight from kickoff Toronto would attack the Fire again, a trend that continued for most of the early part of the game. They came wave after wave at the Fire's flat four backline, not looking to settle for the single goal lead. Chicago was, somehow, able to contain them, however, and go into damage control.

Toronto had several other chances, but once again failed to finish any of them. Their best chance came late in the half when a low shot from Tsubasa Endoh was cleared off the line.

A lack of an insurance marker was troubling, allowing the Fire to stick around in a game in which they had no business. They went into halftime with a slim 1-0 lead, and everything still to play for in the second half.

Toronto started off the second half in the same way as the first, putting pressure on the Chicago Fire whenever they had a chance. They had more trouble breaking down the fire this half, however, who seemed to have settled a little better into the game. 

The Fire got one of their few chances midway through the half when Kennedy Igboananike rang an excellent shot off the crossbar. Otherwise, however, they rarely troubled Alex Bono in the Toronto FC goal.

Sebastian Giovinco continued to be snakebit for most of the second half, firing every chance he could get at goal but failing to beat Sean Johnson in the Chicago Fire goal. After one miss he ripped his shirt open in frustration and had to replace it, drawing a cheer from the Toronto FC faithful.

The Chicago Fire threatened Toronto FC a couple of times late, but never came too close to scoring an equaliser. The three points that Toronto collected tonight move them up to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, and back into the playoffs.