TFC stroll to 2-0 win over New York

Toronto FC began the game against the New York Red Bulls on a high following their 6-1 demolition of the Montreal Impact that landed them their first ever silverware. Sporting pink jerseys in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Reds were in jovial mood as they displayed plenty of tricks during an eventful first half. Bottom of the league New York were less flamboyant and their display hardly mirrored the desperate state that their depressing league standing entails.

First Half

The opening exchanges were rather lackluster which Toronto head coach Chris Cummins thought could have been "down to the heat." The game was pretty even with neither side hitting their stride. John Wolyniec lacked the pace to trouble Toronto's resolute defense despite being played into good positions on a few occasions.

New York, looking to build upon the point they earned against Seattle, started brightly and had the first shot on target in the fourth minute. However, that was as close as they got to a goal in the whole half. Juan Pablo Angel cut a solitary figure upfront and hardly registered a touch throughout the half.

Toronto were full of confidence with Dwayne De Rosario particularly effective. Despite a few error prone passes, the game was largely entertaining. TFC overplayed at times, in dangerous positions. They did so with a calm that reflected the surge of belief that is rippling through the team and bubbling to the surface intermittently. TFC played plenty of one-two's around the visitor's box for some pretty passages of play but with little end product.

Nick Zimmerman lit up the crowd with an array of tricks and step-overs that failed to flummox Jim Brennan. At the other end, a great exchange down the left between Amado Guevara and Pablo Vitti led to a sustained period of pressure on the New York goal. Nana Attakora lobbed the ball hopefully into the visitor's area, whose defenders failed to pick up Vitti's run. The Argentine allowed the ball to bounce before heading it over New York goalie Danny Cepero to register his first goal for Toronto. 1-nil to TFC with half an hour played.

While the game was even before the goal, now it was pretty one sided. The home side swept forward menacingly. First, Guevara failed to make the most of a free header from Nana's cross; then, the Honduran failed to control a De Rosario through ball, allowing Cepero to collect.

Toronto did manage to put the ball in the back of the net once more, only for the goal to be ruled out as the ball had clearly crossed the touch line before Chad Barrett made the assist to De Rosario. Vitti was having a marvelous time. He released Nana with a brilliantly weighted ball, but the defender failed to test the keeper with his shot. Soon after, Vitti somehow failed to find the target having nutmeged Cepero following a majestic through ball from De Rosario.

Andy Boyens was at hand to clear De Rosario's goal bound shot as the half drew to a close. Nana's header had played De Rosario in but by the time the 31-year-old made room for his shot, the defender got into position to intercept.

Second Half

Dane Richards came on for New York in place of Angel at half time. The switch gave the visitors a real edge with Richards' pace. Zimmerman tried to exploit the space created by Richards' pace by thumping a shot just over the bar from long range. He then took a dangerous free-kick from the edge of the box that Adrian Serioux was compelled to head out for a corner.

Utilizing their experience, Serioux and Nick Garcia neutralized the new threat posed by Richards. This gave TFC the platform to launch an offensive. Barrett soon had the ball in the back of the net, only to be adjudged offside. However, Toronto were not to be denied for much longer. Chad Barrett chipped the ball towards De Rosario in the box. The attacker controlled the ball on his chest before exquisitely lifting the ball over Cepero to give Toronto a 2-0 lead. It was a truly outstanding goal from the Canadian who celebrated with his trademark stutter step celebration.

Thereafter De Rosario turned provider, playing a magnificent through-ball to Guevara, who failed to make the most of a decent opportunity. Seth Stammler tried to singlehandedly pull New York back into the game. His bursting run through the middle was thwarted by Nana soon after he had gone close with a header from a corner.

The match got heated towards the end with plenty of words exchanged between TFC players and Richards. Cepero made some wonderful saves to deny Toronto a superior win, one fingertip save from a Sam Cronin drive particularly memorable.

Toronto enter a testing phase in their season with a heavy dose of road games approaching and with Cummins claiming, "Playoffs are our next target," they will need to stretch their current winning streak.

New York remain rooted at the bottom of the MLS standings and with stalwart Juan Pablo Angel limping out at half time after an abject display, things look bleak for last year's MLS cup finalists.

Talha Zaheer, Goal.com

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