TFC 1 DCU 1 ( Dichio bags one for TFC )

fitty1717 · Feb 5, 2008

Reported from the boys at NEE!

http://www.kickabola.com/showthread...43529#post43529

United and Toronto played to a 1-1 tie in a 60-minute scrimmage in Bradenton, Fla., today. Dominic Mediate scored in the first half, Danny Dichio in the second half.

adammac19 · Feb 5, 2008

Nice to see Dicho back to his old ways in pre-season. Hope there will be more news about who played and what were the tactics.

adammac19 · Feb 6, 2008

One of the members on RPB site posted what was the line-up

TFC starters:

Greg Sutton,
Marvell Wynne - Tyler Hemming - Andrew Boyens - Mike Zaher
Ronnie O’Brien - Xavier Balc - Joey Melo
Andrea Lombardo,
Jeff Cunningham - Danny Dichio.

Substitutes: GK Brian Edwards, Tyler Rosenlund, Jarrod Smith, Stefan Honore.
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Here is a article of the game in the globe

TFC scores exhibition draw

LARRY MILLSON

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

February 5, 2008 at 10:38 PM EST

BRADENTON, FLA. — If you had to guess who would score the first goal of the first exhibition game of Toronto FC's second season, it would hardly be a guess at all.

Your first reaction would be to say Danny Dichio. And you would be correct.

Dichio was not with the team when it opened its inaugural training camp last year, but did score TFC's first regular-season goal and the team's final goal of the 2007 Major League Soccer season.

So there he was yesterday at the IMG Academies, at the end of a rather pretty play, knocking home the tying goal after a couple of nice passes by Mike Zaher, acquired in the MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 18, and Jarrod Smith, who was obtained in the 2007 supplemental draft.

Dichio's goal gave TFC a 1-1 draw with D.C. United, which had the best regular-season record in MLS last year, in a 60-minute game yesterday.

Domenic Mediate scored for D.C. United in the first half.

It was a pleasing effort, considering it was Toronto's first day of training in Bradenton and the team was without players such as Maurice Edu, Jim Brennan and Carl Robinson, but Marvell Wynne, who has had a busy winter training and playing with the U.S. national senior team and Olympic team, was on hand.

D.C. United has undergone some changes over the winter, including the signing of a designated player, midfielder Marcelo Gallardo, who played yesterday.

But anyone expecting D.C. United to romp was sorely disappointed.

From a Toronto standpoint, it was good to see midfielder Ronnie O'Brien, wearing a brace on his right knee, which was scoped last year, and goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who has recovered from a concussion, playing again. They missed large portions of last season.

Sutton played the first half yesterday, and draft pick Brian Edwards played the second.

MLS games at this time of the year aren't about results and aren't about being a spectacle. They are about getting ready for the season, which for Toronto will begin on March 29 in Columbus against the Crew.

For new head coach John Carver, it was an encouraging first match.

"It's only a preseason game, but the pleasing thing was in the first half, even when we went one-nil down, we actually created the chances," Carver said. "We had four or five good chances."

He said that since Toronto gathered for some workouts at BMO Field in Toronto only last week, there are a lot of aspects of the game the team has yet to work on.

"We've not done any crossing and finishing," he said. "We've not done any shooting sessions. We've not even worked in an area as big as this yet. Everything has been done in a small area. So I was quite surprised at how well the lads have done today.

"In the second half, when [D.C.] put their stronger team on, we were actually better and created the best chances."

And Dichio's goal left the coach "delighted" and "excited."

This time of year is about getting into game fitness. Carver also will be working on the type of game he wants the team to play.

"I'm going to play a pressing game," he said. "You can only play a pressing game if you get everybody understanding how to do it.
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Northkid78 · Feb 6, 2008

Is there any actual listings of the practice matches for the Florida training camps?

Good on ya #9!

ArteEtLabore · Feb 6, 2008

Northkid78 said: ↑

Is there any actual listings of the practice matches for the Florida training camps?
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From:
http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/t..._id=137448&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280

Tuesday, February 5th vs. D.C. United @ 4:00 PM
Monday, February 11th vs. Odense (Denmark) @ 11:00 AM
Wednesday, February 13th vs. Odense @ 11:00 AM
Saturday, February 16th vs. Kansas @ 10:00 AM
Sunday, February 17th vs. US U-17's @ 10:00 AM
Wednesday, February 20th vs. Chicago Fire @ 10:00 AM

ArteEtLabore · Feb 6, 2008

There is a good summary of the game (albeit from a DC United point of view) on the DCU forum:
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=655479

Also, Goff has his game summary here:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2008/02/dcu_update.html

On a side note, some of the comments on both of those postings make for an interesting read. It would appear that Toronto isn't the only place where the sky is falling.....

BVgolski07 · Feb 6, 2008

Where was Brennan in that lineup?

TFC has had the most dissapointing off-season IMO. you finished last, it might be a good idea to make some trades or get some new player ey? If you get Huckerby, i would just laugh because then your entire strikeforce would be over the hill. I really respect the team for the fans but the ownership owes them a better squad and I really don't see any promise of that thru their moves thusfar

adammac19 · Feb 6, 2008

BVgolski07 said: ↑

Where was Brennan in that lineup?

TFC has had the most dissapointing off-season IMO. you finished last, it might be a good idea to make some trades or get some new player ey? If you get Huckerby, i would just laugh because then your entire strikeforce would be over the hill. I really respect the team for the fans but the ownership owes them a better squad and I really don't see any promise of that thru their moves thusfar
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What moves are you talking about

ArteEtLabore · Feb 6, 2008

BVgolski07 said: ↑

TFC has had the most dissapointing off-season IMO.
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The offseason isn't over yet.

TFCguy · Feb 7, 2008

brennan was in Toronto to attend the annual Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner and Auction...excellent exposure for TFC and a great indication on how high the TFC profile is becoming...here a link to the article from the Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/301310