With Sporting KC heading back on the road for an important Eastern Conference clash against Toronto FC on Saturday. I caught up with Toronto Sun Columnist and Olathe, KS native, Kurtis Larson, to preview the match. The match will kick off at 6:00 p.m. CT on Saturday with live coverage available on KMCI (38 the Spot), SKCTV, Sports Radio 810 WHB, and La Gran D 1340 AM.
JF: The last time these teams met was back in May at Sporting Park (2-2 draw). What did you take away from that match and how that will impact Saturday’s match?
KL: It was a precarious match to say the least. Toronto FC wasn't yet firing on all cylinders, but Sporting KC was so hampered by injury that I thought TFC missed an opportunity to grab three points on the road. I'm not sure if you can draw many conclusions from that match back in May simply because it also involved a red card to Steven Caldwell before TFC scored twice despite being down to 10 men. Had KC had all of its players for that one I think it would have strolled comfortably. Now, it's Toronto FC that has injuries in defence, with Caldwell and Mark Bloom set to miss Saturday's match. For me, these are two evenly matched teams other than one position on the field: Central defence. And that could be the difference in a match that just might be a playoff preview if both of these teams stay on pace for the post-season.
JF: Also in that match, Toronto FC was without U.S. National Team star Michael Bradley. How has he fit in with the club in his first season and what has he brought to the side?
KL: To be honest, I think he's still trying to settle in. He's been fantastic at times -- away wins at Seattle and Columbus -- and he's also looked a bit fatigued. It was a good move by TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen to rest Bradley in a midweek exhibition against Tottenham. Toronto fans hope that will help Bradley find his feet and regain the rhythm witnessed before the World Cup. Maybe most beneficial for Bradley has been the acquisition of Collen Warner, who allows Bradley to play with a bit more freedom he didn't have when he was playing next to young players like Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio earlier in the season. One thing I'm looking forward to Saturday: How Bradley and Benny Feilhaber will match up with each other.
JF: What’s been the key to Toronto FC’s successful season up to this point (26 points through 17 matches and currently 3rd in East)?
KL: The club's new general manager, Tim Bezbatchenko, has to be given credit for transforming the dressing room here in Toronto. Since preseason, every single move TFC has made has improved the club. Sure, you can look at the Designated Players -- Jermaine Defoe, Michael Bradley, Gilberto -- as being key to that transition, but minor trades that saw Justin Morrow, Collen Warner, Luke Moore, Domini Oduro, Jackson and Warren Creavalle join the club have improved things immensely. I'm not sure this team is MLS Cup quality yet, but it's a hell of a lot better than it was this time last year. When rebuilding a franchise, it's key to be on the winning end of every single move you make.
JF: Jermain Defoe will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. Who is expected to fill in for him in the starting lineup and how will this change/affect Toronto FC’s attack?
KL: It's going to hurt TFC's chances, sure. It's never easy to win when a player with double-digit goals is watching the game from the luxury suite. But Toronto FC has capable forwards in Luke Moore and Gilberto to fill the void. Gilberto scored last week in Houston and Moore has been a revelation since joining Toronto from Chivas USA a few months back. Toronto's two attackers are still going to be a handful for Kansas City's back line. That said, Defoe only needs one chance to score. There's nobody more clinical in the league. Because of that, if Toronto fails to take advantage of its opportunities in front of goal, fans will likely point to Defoe's absence as being a major factor.
JF: What are you expecting to see from Saturday’s match and any key match-ups you’re going to be focusing on?
KL: For Toronto fans, this is a highly-anticipate match, especially when you consider TFC goes on the road for four games after this. As I mentioned, the Benny Feilhaber-Michael Bradley battle could be interesting, with Feilhaber having something to prove after not even being considered for the World Cup -- a travesty in my eyes. Other than that, I think the Gilberto-Matt Besler battle could be an interesting one, with the Brazilian desperately trying to justify his multimillion-dollar contract. There are enough quality players throughout these two lineups that this should be an end-to-end game, one I'm looking forward to after returning from the World Cup in Brazil.
