Toronto FC takes on the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at BMO Field with kickoff slated for 5:00 PM.
TFC’s second consecutive home game against a Western Conference foe comes at an interesting time in the season. The leaders in the Eastern Conference have fallen back to the pack, giving the Reds a chance to use their games in hand to move higher in the standings.
San Jose is coming off of a 1-1 draw at home against Orlando City SC. Chris Wondolowski recorded his 100th MLS goal and will be the last player to do so for at least a few years.
The Quakes are without forward Innocent Emeghara for four to six months, placing a bigger weight on the shoulders of Wondo, something the U.S. international has shrugged off on the way to a sterling MLS career. Following that harrowing miss against Belgium in Brazil, the 32-year-old refused to let one moment at the World Cup define his career.
He’ll be the player to watch on the Quakes, but Dom Kinnear’s side boasts an array of midfield talent that is cause for concern for Greg Vanney and Toronto FC.
Here are three keys to the game on Saturday.
Stopping Wondo
He won’t blow you away with his speed or size. His goals are usually of the opportunistic variety, and this league rewards players that know where to be when chances are created.
It wasn’t always like this, as the Seattle Times’ Matt Pentz notes. Wondolowski recorded four league goals between 2005 and 2010. Since then he’s been a goal scoring machine.
“The first year we all thought, ‘Good for him, let’s see what he does the next year,’” said Kinnear following last Sunday’s draw. “Then the next year you thought, ‘Great for him, let’s see if he can continue this.’ A lot of people probably thought he was lucky: He’s not running by people. He’s just finishing goals. He’s making the most of his opportunities.”
“But along the way he became a better soccer player, too. His hold-up play is good. He makes his living inside the box, but because of his better play he brings more people into the play, and that gives him better chances.”
Beating San Jose requires more than neutering the threat posed by Wondolowski, but it’s a big part of the plan.
Replacing Alashe
A good friend was watching from France as Jay Chapman played the full 90 minutes against Manchester City on Wednesday night.
Fatai Alashe, Chapman’s teammate during their days at Michigan State University, has been a revelation in his rookie season. His performance has garnered rookie of the year talk but Kinnear will have to replace him the starting lineup for Saturday’s match.
Alashe is currently with the U.S. under-23 team in France, leaving an opportunity for the likes of JJ Koval and Khari Stephenson.
Striker Mark Sherrod could also make his Quakes debut. The 24-year-old was acquired in a trade with Orlando last December and played under Kinnear last season in Houston. He’s been battling a knee injury but has impressed during training.
Who Steps In For Warner?
Collen Warner has been a key piece in the TFC midfield since Vanney reverted to a diamond with Benoit Cheyrou in front of the back four and Michael Bradley in an attacking position up top.
Warner’s workrate and defensive acumen gave Michael Bradley free reign, helping create opportunities for Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore, before the latter was lost to injury.
Now it’s Warner that will miss time. He suffered a mild hamstring strain against the Timbers last Saturday and has been declared week-to-week. Vanney indicated he was questionable for the San Jose fixture, but it’s safe to assume he will be rested.
So who steps in to replace him? Warren Creavalle is the first name that comes to mind. He’s more comfortable in the midfield compared to right back, and has a similar defensive mindset to Warner. Another option is Jackson, but it’s likely we see Creavalle in the starting lineup.
