FT: TFC 3 - 2 Colorado Rapids

FT — Massive three points for the Reds

89’ — Jozy’s had a rough one tonight. Should’ve had about three goals tonight.

86’ — Colorado come within inches of tying the game. Pozuelo off for DeLeon

85’ — Been all Toronto since their goal. Five mnutes left plus injury time

80’ — Altidore and Abubakar clash again. Altidore mad again. Altidore go turn your frustration into goals.

78’ — This is a game the Reds need to see out.

74’ — The scenes!!! Laryea goes down in the box again, but the ref waves him off. Mavinga then takes a nasty yellow to stop a Rapids’ counter

70’ — GOAL! OSORIO 3-2 TFC! Gallardo makes a great run down the right flank, picks out a better pass accross the box, and Osorio makes no mistake. Finish strong.

68’ — This has looked like a completely different game since about the 25th minute. Colorado almost takes the lead. TFC need to dig in here

64’ — Sub: Endoh off to a loud ovation for Erickson Gallardo. Let’s see if he ignites some energy back into the Reds

61’ — GOAL! COLORADO 2-2! A simple cross beats the TFC defence who fails to pick up their runners in the middle. Oh man

60’ — Important update: Jozy is pissed at Kei Kamara. Jozy picks up a yellow. This game is getting chippy

58’ — Ball goes through Jozy’s leg in the 18-yard-box.. that's gotta be in the back of the net.

46’ — We’re back. No changes out of halftime for either side... that Westberg PK save tho!

What do the Reds need to do to see out this one?

HT — TFC 2 — 1 Rapids at the break. Toronto Raptors in attendance. Let’s go Raptors chant breaks out at BMO Field

45’ — Colorado misses a sitter back post. Not sure what’s happened to the Reds defensively, but look vulnerable to conceding... to say the least.

44’ — INCHES AWAY! Osorio almost makes it 3-1 after a beautiful cross from Altidore. I think Oso should’ve buried that. Still 2-1 Reds.

39’ — SUB: Benezet comes off for Osorio. Hope the French attacker is alright

39’ — SAVED! Quentin Westberg bails himself out with a massive save. TFC need to take control of this game again and finish their chances.

38’ — PENALTY COLORADO. Westberg takes out the Rapids winger after he gets in behind the TFC back line. Yellow Card shown to Westberg

37’ — Toronto needs to do a better job at cleaning up. Too many balls bouncing the way of the Rapids’ players right now. Be sure.

35’ — Reds showing some resilience after conceding. More positive play in the Rapids half.

31’ — GOAL Rapids! 2-1 TFC. Keegan Rosenberry gets behind the TFC defence after a few bad bounces and makes no mistake.

29’ — Gonzalez and Mavinga looking solid at the back. Gonzalez with a big time clearance putting an end to the Colorado counter

27’ — Auro Jr. looking very comfortable at LB. Endoh doing well to press. Two names fighting for the place in the side moving forward.

24’ — Toronto almost makes it three. Clint Irwin is going to have a long night

17’ — The Reds are buzzing today. Benezet almost with a golaso, curving one from just outside the box

15’ — GOAL! 2-0 TFC! Pozuelo.. you cheeky, cheeky.... his second Paneka of the season

11’ — Hold up. VAR Check....

10’ — PENALTY TFC! Pozuelo steps up to the ball...

7’ — GOAL! 1-0 TFC! Laryea again makes an impact for the Reds, getting inside the box and cutting it back for Endoh who makes no mistake on the finish. Massive goal for the Reds who look poised to score a ton tonight.

3’ — No penalty. Play goes on. Positive start for the Reds

2’ — Laryea goes down! Ref waiting to hear from VAR....

1’ — And we’re off.

5:07 pm — About to kickoff, as a giant Michael Bradley tifo reigns over the TFC goal. Bradley gives the TFC faithful a standing ovation

5:04 pm — Special rendition of the National anthem with almost 400 members of the military and their families in attendance tonight..

4:55 pm — How many minutes does Endoh see tonight? Barring a remarkable performance, I’m thinking they give him about 50 before Gallardo sees the pitch.

4:50 pm — With all the rain today, it’s a good thing the sprinklers have been on for about the past 20 minutes...

4:42 pm ET — Rain has stopped here at BMO Field as the Reds looked poised for three points tonight.

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Starting XI

Clint Irwin starts for the bad guys...

The Reds starting with a strong XI.... Gallardo makes the bench despite picking up a knock midweek. No Justin Morrow yet.

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TORONTO—Fresh off a successful three-game road trip, Toronto FC will look to extend their eight-game unbeaten run Sunday afternoon when they return home to BMO Field on Canadian Armed Forces Night to take on the soaring Colorado Rapids.

Currently sitting in fourth place in the East, the Reds haven’t lost in their last six MLS matches, but a familiar face at the helm of a revamped Colorado-side is looking to change that in front of almost 400 members of the military and their families in attendance.

Robin Fraser spent the better portion of five seasons with Toronto as an assistant under Greg Vanney before taking over as head coach of the Rapids, where he’s led a then-seven win team to a perfect 3-0-0 record since his appointment.

With wins over the New York Red Bulls, Seattle Sounders, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s L.A. Galaxy (in a very controversial manner), it appears early on that the $75,000 USD in general allocation money Colorado reportedly sent Toronto in exchange for the release of Fraser was a worthwhile investment.

Fraser won’t be the only member of the Rapids well acquainted to BMO Field, as former TFC goalkeeper Clint Irwin — part of the treble-winning 2017 team – is also expected to start in net for a desperate Colorado side needing a win. Thanks to a disastrous start to the 2019 season, a loss combined with other results could eliminate the 10^th-place Rapids from playoff contention.

Toronto, meanwhile, has also been trending in the right direction recently despite having to deal with a few International call-ups and injuries.

A 1-1 draw at Yankee Stadium against Eastern Conference leaders New York City FC — a game that Toronto probably should’ve won — saw the Reds extend their unbeaten run to eight straight matches, a feat that’s only been matched two other times in the club’s history.

With relative newcomers Nicolas Benezet and Erickson Gallardo establishing themselves in the squad, and the imminent return of Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea and perhaps Justin Morrow on Sunday after all took part in training on Friday, the Reds will look to finish strong in their final four MLS games — capped off by a two-legged Canadian Championship Final, which kicks off on Wednesday in Montreal.

But first, TFC needs to take care of the business at hand, at BMO Field Sunday afternoon, where Toronto can’t take Fraser’s deceivingly-dangerous Colorado team lightly.

It helps to know heading into this one that the Reds hold a 7-1-1 lifetime record at home over the Rapids, with Colorado’s lone win against Toronto coming in 2014.

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Predicted Starting XI

With Gallardo and DeLeon picking up minor knocks over the past week, look for Vanney to get Michael Bradley, Marky Delgado, and Jonathan Osorio all into the lineup. Thus, we’d see Pozuelo on the wing — where he often likes to find space — flanked by Laryrea, who’s in-form and confident after his first two International caps with Canada.

Look for Justin Morrow to also get back into the squad after the left-back missed the team’s last three MLS games.

(Jeffrey P. Nesker/Waking the Red)

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How to Watch

Kickoff 5 p.m. ET
TV TSN 4
Radio TSN 1050

As always, you can follow the action live on our game thread closer to kickoff as we’ll be covering the match from BMO Field tonight.