A two game stretch isn’t exactly a homestand, but it is for Toronto FC considering their seven game road trip (eight if you count the Canadian Championship) to open the season.
The Reds are home for two consecutive games against Western Conference opponents. The Portland Timbers are up first this Saturday.
Considering how the Eastern Conference has shaken out in the early goings these are points that would help the Reds cut the gap between themselves and the top four teams, which include the New England Revolution who lost to Sporting Kansas City this week.
Here are three keys for the match against Caleb Porter’s side.
Replacing Jozy Altidore
It will not be an easy task but Toronto FC must replace Jozy Altidore’s goal output while the American international recovers from a hamstring strain. Altidore has recorded six goals in all competitions.
“Guys will have to step up, but that’s why we have a 29-man roster,” said Greg Vanney.
“We have to give guys opportunities. Obviously Luke [Moore] had some minutes this past weekend, and we’ll see how Robbie [Findley] progresses over the course of the week. We have other options that we can look at as well, with Jordan Hamilton doing well in the training sessions. We have some other options we could consider with guys having played forward before.”
Hamilton is perhaps the most intriguing option, one that fans and pundits alike have wanted to see get an opportunity with the first team.
Diego Valeri’s Impact
Playing in his third game of the season last week, you could see how much the Timbers have missed Diego Valeri.
The Argentine number 10 helped get Fanendo Adi off the schnide during Portland’s 3-1 loss to Houston last week. Adi pounced on Valeri’s perfectly weighted pass, scoring the Timbers’ only goal of the game.
It was Adi’s first goal in seven games and the hope for Porter is that Valeri’s return to the starting lineup will help the Timbers score with more regularity. They have scored 10 goals through 11 games this season.
“[Valeri’s] a guy that’s one of, I think, the best killer passers in the league,” Porter said, via the Timbers official website.
“So I think we’ll get more of that, him playing Adi in, Maxi [Urruti] when he’s in the game, even Rodney [Wallace] in behind.”
Chris Konopka’s Form
Make no mistake Chris Konopka was the reason TFC was able to steal a point in New England. Joe Bendik’s foot injury has given Konopka the keys to the car and the Toms River, New Jersey native is enjoying the driver’s seat.
Vanney rightly doesn’t see competition between the sticks as a bad thing.
“I think it’s a great scenario,” he said.
”Chris [Konopka] has really stepped up and Joe [Bendik], we know, is capable of being a starter in this league. Now, we have real competition in the position, and I think that’s fantastic.That’s fair, that’s how every other position is and that’s how the goalkeeper position should be. As Joe gets healthy, we look forward to the challenge to see who’s going to step up.”
Konopka has the chance to cement himself as the number one keeper with another strong performance on Saturday.
