Eleven times during the 2015 USL season, first-year side Toronto FC II’s offense was shut out. This year, through four games, the Reds have three multi-goal performances and have yet to suffer a shutout.
Leading the charge for the second-year club is midfielder Raheem Edwards, a 20-year-old Toronto native who has taken some ownership of this team in his return for 2016.
“I focused on the finishing product, the final cross, final shot – that was stuff I worked on during the offseason with a couple of guys on the TFC team and worked on that a little bit,” said Edwards, who leads the club with four tallies. “We needed that killer instinct because that was lacking last year. Only four goals led the team.”
That four-goal scorer from a year ago was Mo Babouli, who signed this offseason with the club’s MLS side. With Babouli’s services being on the lighter scale – he featured in TFC II’s 2016 season opener –returnees such as Edwards, Wesley Charpie, Skylar Thomas and Chris Mannella have been summoned by Head Coach Jason Bent to take the reins.
“We’re a very young team still – one of the youngest in the league,” Edwards said. “This year, obviously there are not a lot of guys this year who were part of the first season, so guys like me, like Skylar, Charpie, we have a year of experience and are helping the young guys coming out. We are the veterans of the team. JB, our coach, challenged us.
“I’m taking on a bigger role and putting more pressure and responsibilities on myself,” Edwards said. “It’s been good. I’m not shying away from doing everything to help the team push for the playoffs and a championship.”
The predominantly left-footed winger said last year was a beneficial learning experience heading into 2016.
“It’s always difficult with the first season on any team,” Edwards said. “It was a good learning process. We did well, but there were some games that we lost at the end. This season, we’ve been more ready to play for those 90 minutes. Even though the record doesn’t show it, I think we have improved there.”
Toronto’s late-game setbacks have carried over from a results standpoint. Toronto has posted a 1-1-2 record this season and it quite easily could be closer to 3-0-1. TFC II held a 2-0 lead against the New York Red Bulls II before ending in a 2-2 draw to open the season. Toronto was minutes away from posting a win in its home opener against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds before conceding a game-tying goal to Romeo Parkes. Then recently, the Reds allowed a late goal to FC Cincinnati’s Omar Cummings to drop their first match of the season.
Edwards certainly has a stronger connection to this organization than most having grown up through Toronto FC’s rise in MLS.
“I remember going up to BMO a couple times when I was 11 or 12 to play for club soccer at the stadium,” Edwards said. “Looking at it now, it looks like a real stadium. The progress has been amazing, and now they have players like Michael Bradley, Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore, so that gives you a clue as to how things have progressed.
“In the early stages, the fans were there, but it was not as passionate as it is now,” he said. “In Toronto, you’d have supporters who followed England and Spain closely, but now they have their own team, so there is a lot more support.”
Now Edwards is looking to become a permanent fixture of the MLS team he grew up with, but he is careful in looking too far ahead as his focus is squarely on the USL campaign.
“I don’t really want to focus on the jump; I’m just playing my game and doing my thing,” Edwards said. “Maybe after this season, you never know. TFC II has been great in sharpening my skills and goals.”
When that moment arrives, it is only natural to tie Edwards in with the likes of Babouli. They have played together beyond TFC at Sheridan College, have known each other for a number of years, and one party has achieved what Edwards and a number of TFC II players hope to achieve one day.
“I’ve known Mo for a very long time, even before Sheridan. My brother played with him, as well,” Edwards said. “It was good to see a close friend make the jump. It motivates you to make the team. TFC II is the perfect platform to get you ready for the first team, and it brings out the determination for me.”
