With frustrations boiling over in Toronto, the Reds return to BMO Field on Saturday searching for a spark when hosting DC United on matchday 15 of the MLS campaign.
TFC have dropped five successive fixtures in all competitions after losing 1-0 at Austin FC, while the Black and Red are unbeaten in their last three domestic encounters, downing the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0 last Saturday.
Match preview
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Fourteen matches into the season and Bob Bradley is beginning to sound like a broken record, noting his team's failure to connect passes and lack of creativity when in possession last weekend.
At the moment, this feels like a group in disarray with their leading goalscorer Federico Bernardeschi appearing to indirectly call out his coach following their previous encounter, saying they need more tactics and an idea of how they play.
How they are playing right now is simply not good enough, that much is clear with the Reds failing to score in four consecutive MLS regular-season fixtures, the first time that has happened to them since 2010.
Three of their next four league games occur at BMO Field, where Toronto have only gone pointless in one domestic affair all season, posting a clean sheet in two of their previous three outings.
To this point of the campaign, we have seen this group filter the majority of their balls out wide, but they have rarely looked threatening or convincing in the attacking third, while it does not appear as if this team know any other way to play.
Coming into this encounter, TFC have scored the third-fewest goals in the Eastern Conference (13) but have found the back of the net at least once on nine successive occasions versus the Black and Red in the regular season and playoffs.
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Wayne Rooney entered the 2023 campaign knowing full well that he had a tall task ahead of him to try to restore some pride in this decorated DC franchise that captured three of the first four MLS Cups.
They may not be as dominant as those teams from the mid to late 90s, but the former England international has brought back the belief in this club who were dead last in the overall standings last year and have missed the playoffs on three successive occasions.
In 14 games, they have already notched 19 goals, over half of their entire output from 2022 when they scored a league-low 36 times in 34 outings.
Their defensive work has not been top-class through most of the season, but they have maintained back-to-back clean sheets and have not conceded in three MLS road matches this season.
Although they fell 2-1 in their previous visit to Toronto last year, DC have put together some solid performances at BMO Field during the regular season, walking away with at least a point in four of its last five encounters there in this competition.
The Black and Red have been a towering presence for other teams to contend with in 2023, winning 62.7% of their aerial duels, with no other side winning more than 59% over a full MLS campaign since detailed data collection began in 2010.
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Team News
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Last weekend the Reds were missing Victor Vazquez, Sigurd Rosted, Jonathan Osorio, Shane O'Neill, Adama Diomande, Alonso Coello Camarero and Michael Bradley with lower body injuries, while Deandre Kerr did not suit up because of concussion protocol.
Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is eligible to return from his suspension, while Lorenzo Insigne should be recovered after suffering a minor knock in their midweek draw (0-0) last Wednesday against the New York Red Bulls.
Ayo Akinola has five goals in his career versus DC, though it was Bernardeschi and Mark-Anthony Kaye who struck in their previous meeting against them earlier this season when they fell 3-2.
Ruan, Taxi Fountas, Pedro Santos and Mohanad Jeahze are all doubtful for the Black and Red due to thigh issues, Andy Najar has a sore calf, Steve Birnbaum is dealing with a hip problem, Nigel Robertha sprained his ankle and Martin Rodriguez is dealing with a knee injury.
Last weekend, Christian Benteke notched his sixth of the year in this competition, Cristian Dajome scored his first for DC after previously being traded by the Vancouver Whitecaps, Mateusz Klich netted his second of the campaign, while Tyler Miller recorded his fifth clean sheet, stopping six shots.
In their previous match Brendan Hines-Ike made his first appearance since last August, taking the place of Russell Canouse in the second half, while Klich, Benteke and Theodore Ku-DiPietro all scored when they defeated the Reds in their opening game of the 2023 regular season.
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Laryea, Mabika, Hedges, Petretta; Thompson, Servania, Kaye; Insigne, Sapong, Bernardeschi
DC United possible starting lineup:
Miller; Hines-Ike, Williams, Pines; Durkin, Canouse, Klich, Samake; Dajome, Benteke, Hurtado
We say: Toronto 2-0 DC United
Since 2015, DC have only captured one away match at BMO Field, and their defence have left Miller hanging out to dry too much this season, so although the Reds seem to have their issues, we believe they will be able to expose the visitors' weak backline on Saturday.
How to watch
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