Two clubs will meet in Frisco, Texas in search of a win on Saturday night.
For Toronto FC, the fixture against FC Dallas is the beginning of the end. There are only three games left in the seven game sojourn away from home as the renovations at BMO Field continue ahead of the home opener in May.
It hasn’t been the most auspicious trip for the Reds after starting so well in Vancouver. Red cards, defensive miscues and injuries have led to three consecutive losses, the latest coming two weeks ago in Chicago.
FC Dallas have also struggled lately. They fell 3-1 to Portland, not the most shocking result mind you, and then were inexplicably pumped 4-0 by the Colorado Rapids.
Here are three storylines heading into Saturday night’s clash.
Tesho To Play For Canada?
The reigning Rookie Of The Year hails from Canada, but it’s not certain whether Tesho Akindele will represent the Red and White.
At least until now.
Head coach Benito Floro confirmed Akindele is “99.9 percent” committed to representing Canada during a conference call on Tuesday afternoon.
The FC Dallas forward surprised some last year when he reneged on an agreement to join Canada’s training camp in November, only to accept a call up from the United States.
MLSSoccer.com’s Daniel Squizzato has more:
“Akindele – who has two goals in six games thus far in his sophomore season – didn’t crack the US squad on that occasion, and remains eligible for both nations. With Canada jumping into World Cup qualifying in June and contesting the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, Floro could certainly use Akindele’s goal scoring punch – but first, he had to know the player’s heart was in the right place.”
Thankfully, it seems like his heart is the right place. Akindele’s a big addition ahead of an even bigger summer for the Canadian Men’s program.
Coaching Squabbles
It was the source of quite a few laughs in the days that followed.
Portland defeated Dallas 3-1 on April 4. Throughout the game Timbers boss Caleb Porter was “crying” to the officials, at least according to FCD boss Oscar Pareja.
Pareja presented Porter with a tissue as the latter approached for the standard post-game handshake. Porter then pointed to the scoreboard. Extreme banter had been achieved.
It’s the kind of stuff we don’t see too often in MLS. We asked Greg Vanney about the incident on Tuesday.
“I’m friends with both of them and like both guys, but for me it’s a little bit petty,” said Vanney.
“In the grand scheme of things I like the competition and I know both of them are very competitive guys, but you never want to show up another coach in the stadium or on TV. It’s none of my business, but it’s not something I would’ve done.”
What To Do At The Back
It’s highly likely Steven Caldwell will not play on Saturday. The veteran Scot underwent another scan on his calf on Tuesday and he is making progress, but the coaching staff is opting against rushing him back into the fold this early in the season.
The news is better for Damien Perquis, who Vanney expects to play. The Polish defender hasn’t featured since the loss in Columbus and has been sorely missed.
That brings us to right back. Warren Creavalle is suspended and Mark Bloom continues to recover from a knock to the knee. If Bloom isn’t fit we’re looking at the possibility of Jackson or Marky Delgado starting in Frisco.
We’ll find out more regarding the status of Bloom on Thursday.
