TORONTO — Toronto FC head coach John Carver feels the timing could not be better for his team to finally earn its first Major League Soccer victory against the New England Revolution.
Carver was not in the league last season, but he remembers the 2-1 loss to the Revolution on June 28 at Gillette Stadium and remembers a good second half from his side after some adjustments and the victory-saving stop on Jarrod Smith by New England goalkeeper Matt Reis.
The loss put Toronto at three losses and one tie from four games against the Revolution since the club began playing last year. The tie was in Toronto's final game of last season, when Danny Dichio tied the score with a last-second goal as the BMO Field fans erupted.
The teams go at it again tonight at BMO Field, and the Revolution come in after a 2-1 victory over D.C. United at home on Wednesday that put them back into first place in the Eastern Conference. New England has had a tough schedule lately, including last Saturday's loss 4-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes on the West Coast.
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"They've had less time to recover because they played a midweek game," Carver said yesterday at BMO Field. "What an opportunity for us to get back on track at home and give our fans something to shout about and send them away happy. No better way than beating a side that apparently we've never beaten before. I think it's a great opportunity and at great incentive."
New England was missing some key players in the loss to San Jose — a game in which former Toronto midfielder Ronnie O'Brien scored a couple of nifty goals. Defender Michael Parkhurst had been playing for the U.S. Olympic team, and midfielder Shalrie Joseph was suspended for the game. Reis also was hurt during that game, straining an abductor muscle.
Parkhurst and Joseph were back for the victory over D.C. United, but Reis did not play and is listed as questionable for tonight's match.
Toronto also will have defender Marvell Wynne back from U.S. Olympic team duty. He played well enough in the Olympics to earn some interest from European clubs. Midfielder Maurice Edu already has left Toronto FC for Rangers of the Scottish Premier League for a $5-million (U.S.) transfer fee after his work permit was granted yesterday.
Carver was not sure yesterday about his lineup for tonight. Forward Danny Dichio's status is not certain, defender Tyrone Marshall is unlikely to play because of a thigh strain and newly acquired striker Carlos Ruiz from the Los Angeles Galaxy played for Guatemala in a 1-0 loss to the United States on Wednesday and had not arrived in Toronto yet.
Dichio went into the game as a replacement to start the second half and lasted maybe one minute. He had to come out after taking an elbow to the head that resulted in a Red Bulls red card.
Dichio suffered a concussion on July 1 and did not return until the final 10 minutes of the 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 9.
Dichio had two light training sessions, Thursday and yesterday. "He had another light training session this morning," Carver said. " He complained that he had a headache. He won't start the game that's for sure, simply because of what he's gone through and the fact that he's not done a great deal of training. He's not match fit, so I couldn't throw him in there and expect him to run around for 90 minutes. We'll see tomorrow. He might go in for the last 20 minutes, 10 minutes."
Marshall was not ready to play for Jamaica in the 1-1 draw with Canada on Wednesday and as far as being ready to play against the Revolution, Carver said, "I think tomorrow might come a little bit too early for him."
