Author: Dan Gaichas of Windy City Soccer.
Gilberto returned to Toronto to haunt his former team and did so by scoring twice, but even that was not enough as TFC went out 3-2 winners. It is the first win in 13 matches for Toronto over the Fire and the Fire’s road winless streak in all competitions is now 26 (0-20-6) and they are officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Gilberto got the Fire on top after just 40 seconds after connecting on a thru-ball from Patrick Nyarko and put it past Chris Konopka. After that though, Sebastian Giovinco and TFC took over and it was Giovinco’s cross from an acute angle that was barely headed in by Jonathan Osorio in the 29th minute to make it 1-1.
Despite TFC’s domination at the time, Nyarko and Gilberto connected again with Mike Magee in between to set up the latter in behind the defense and score his second of the day in the 52nd minute. That lead lasted seven minutes as Michael Bradley made a run into the box and slalomed around three Fire defenders before his shot deflected off Daneil Cyrus and past Jon Busch to make it 2-2.
Twenty minutes later off a corner, Jozy Altidore would pounce on a loose ball and roof it for the match winner.
The Fire will return home on Saturday when they play the New England Revolution at 7:30pm on WPWR (my50). As if it was not obvious before this week, incoming General Manager Nelson Rodriguez is going to have a monumental task on his hands when he begins on October 19th. In the short-term, Fire fans just want this season over with.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Gilberto (Nyarko) 1’
TOR-Jonathan Osorio (Giovinco) 29’
CHI-Gilberto (Magee, Nyarko) 52’
TOR-Michael Bradley (Giovinco) 59’
TOR-Jozy Altidore (Giovinco) 79’
BOOKING SUMMARY:
TOR-Sebastian Giovinco (caution, dangerous play) 70’
TORONTO FC (4-4-2): #1-Chris Konopka; #18-Marco Delgado (#11-Jackson 70’), #23-Josh Williams, #24-Damein Perquis, #2-Justin Morrow; #55-Robbie Findley (#26-Collen Warner 83’), #4-Michael Bradley, #8-Benoit Cheyrou, #21-Jonathan Osorio; #17-Jozy Altidore (#41-Ahmed Kantari 85’), #10-Sebastian Giovinco
Subs not used: #12-Joe Bendik, #15-Eriq Zavaleta, #27-Luke Moore, #16-Herculez Gomez
CHICAGO FIRE (4-4-1-1): #18-Jon Busch; #5-Lovel Palmer, #20-Jeff Larentowicz (C), #55-Daneil Cyrus, #22-Patrick Doody; #14-Patrick Nyarko (#3-Joevin Jones 55’), #2-Matt Polster (#30-Razvan Cocis 67’), #26-Michael Stephens, #11-David Accam; #9-Mike Magee (#7-Jason Johnson 74’); #29-Gilberto
Subs not used: #1-Alec Kann, #19-Harry Shipp, #8-Matt Watson, #77-Kennedy Igboananike
TOTAL SHOTS: TOR 16-6 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: TOR 6-5 CHI
FOULS: TOR 9-7 CHI
OFFSIDES: TOR 2-3 CHI
CORNER KICKS: TOR 11-4 CHI
SAVES: TOR 2-3 CHI
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Referee’s Assistants: Greg Barkey, Kyle Atkins
4th Official: Drew Fischer
Attendance: 22,513
Man of the Match: Sebastian Giovinco (TOR)
