Game Thread: Toronto FC 0-3 Real Salt Lake (FT)

FT — It’s all over. An awful performance from TFC sees them end their 5 games in 15 days stretch with a 3-0 loss. In that stretch, they only picked up 4 of a possible 15 points.

70’ — Auro is replaced by Nick DeLeon and Jay Chapman comes on for Marky Delgado.

66’ — Jozy Altidore gets a yellow card.

61’ — It goes from bad to worse for Toronto FC. Alejandro Pozuelo is shown a red card for yet another late challenge. It has been coming for a while now.

60’ — Toronto FC 0-3 Real Salt Lake — RSL get a third. Jefferson Savarino shakes off Justin Morrow and puts the ball home.

58’ — TFC are lucky not to be down 3-0. Saucedo has a chance to tuck the ball home but hits the post.

53’ — Pozuelo gets a yellow card.

46’ — The second half kicks off. Jozy Altidore comes on for Ashtone Morgan.

HT — A disappointing first half for TFC comes to a close. Justin Morrow has looked good on the left wing, but overall the Reds have been poor. A pair of defensive lapses see the hosts up by two after 45 minutes.

45’ — Ashtone Morgan gets a yellow card.

41’ — Eriq Zavaleta wins a battle in the box, but heads the ball just wide.

28’ — Toronto FC 0-2 Real Salt Lake — RSL doubles their lead. Sebastian Saucedo fires it home from way outside the box.

14’ — Toronto FC 0-1 Real Salt Lake — The hosts take the lead on their first real chance of the game. Damir Kreilach gets on the end of a cross, gets a couple of lucky delflections and puts the ball into the back of the net. Poor goal for TFC to concede.

9’ — The ball falls to Pozuelo in the box but his volley is blocked.

4’ — Alejandro Pozuelo gets into a dangerous position and takes a shot, but Nick Rimando makes a nice save to keep it out. It’s his first game back after an injury absence.

1’ — The game is underway in Utah!

---

Lineups

Toronto FC:

Looks like some kind of a 5-3-2 today for TFC, with either Ashtone Morgan or Justin Morrow at centre-back. Quentin Westberg gets another start in goal, and has seemingly taken the starting spot. Jozy Altidore makes the bench.

It could also be a 4-4-2 with Justin Morrow on the left wing and Ashtone Morgan at left-back.

Real Salt Lake:

Preview

On Saturday afternoon, Toronto FC are in Sandy, Utah for a match with Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.

The final game of their busy 5 games in 15 days stretch, this will be a good test of just how good Toronto FC really are.

Both sides have played 11 games thus far, and are both in the playoff picture in their respective conferences. TFC are in sixth in the East with 17 points (5-2-4), while Real Salt Lake are in seventh in the West with 13 (4-1-6).

RSL are coming off a 3-2 win over Colorado on Saturday, while TFC are coming off a dominant, yet disappointing performance against D.C. United midweek.

As I’m sure you’ve heard, TFC set a new record for most shots without a goal (35), as they drew 0-0 with Wayne Rooney & Co. They were by far the better side, but were unable to find a goal, despite a pretty solid effort.

Defensively, they were much better than in previous games, as the trio of Drew Moor, Chris Mavinga and Eriq Zavaleta were all impressive on the night. Alongside someone with the leadership and organizational abilities of Drew Moor, Eriq Zavaleta played an excellent game, and in my opinion was one of the better players on the pitch. That performance hopefully boosted his confidence and prepared him for another start on Saturday, as both Laurent Ciman and Chris Mavinga didn’t travel due to injury.

Ahead of the game, I spoke to Lucas Muller of SB Nation’s Real Salt Lake blog, RSL Soapbox. That article is here.

And as this is the fifth and final game thread while Charlie is away, and I’m sure he’s disappointed at us using Old Town Road for 3/4 game thread songs so far, I thought I’d do something a bit different instead.

I present to you: the first-ever game thread movie, about WTR’s favourite country hit, Old Town Road. Sorry Charlie (not really).

Team news: Injuries & suspensions

Toronto FC:

Update from The Sun’s Steve Buffery

• Out: D - Laurent Ciman (ankle)
• Probable: F - Jozy Altidore (heel)
• Out: D - Chris Mavinga (Quad)

Real Salt Lake:

• Out: M - Jordan Allen (knee)
• Out: D - Tony Beltran (knee)
• Doubtful: M - Kyle Beckerman (hamstring)
• Questionable: M - Everton Luiz (knee)
• Questionable: GK - Nick Rimando (knee)

How to watch

Match date/time: Saturday, May 18th. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET

TV channel: TSN 2, CTV

Radio: TSN 1050

Live stream: TSN GO, CTV GO