TORONTO – How times have changed for Toronto FC.
Last October, TFC capped off a remarkable 2017 MLS campaign with a 2-2 draw on the road against Atlanta United. Having already won the Supporters’ Shield as the regular season champions, Toronto set a new league record for most points (69) in a single MLS season with the single point it earned in Atlanta.
The Reds return to Georgia this weekend for the first time since that historic day, but the circumstances are quite different. Atlanta United enters Saturday’s match in first place in the overall MLS standings with 47 points, and is the odds-on favourite to win the Supporters’ Shield in 2018.
Toronto, meanwhile, sits 10th in the Eastern Conference, a whopping 25 points adrift of front-runners Atlanta, and six points (and four spots) behind the New England Revolution for the sixth and final playoff berth in the East. With 13 matches left in the season, TFC isn’t mathematically eliminated from the Supporters’ Shield race, but they know it’s over.
That being said, don’t expect the Reds to simply roll over on Saturday. Instead, Toronto is anxious to remind Atlanta United and the rest of the league that it is still a dominant force in MLS.
“I can tell you one thing for damn sure, we don’t see [Saturday’s match] as any passing of any torch, regardless of where we are, where they are, Supporters’ Shield this, MLS Cup that,” captain Michael Bradley stated.
“They are very well coached … They have exciting players, they have players who are willing to run and be on the move, and be aggressive. It’s all come together in a very good way for them. We have a lot of respect for them, but we also happen to like the team we have.”
Coach Greg Vanney concurred with his captain.
“When you start to get to August and September, what’s behind you starts to feel like it was long behind you, and what’s in front of you is all the exciting stuff. We’re starting to get into that. Obviously, given our position in the standings, that’s probably coming a few weeks earlier than it might otherwise … Whenever we play [sides like Atlanta] it always gets our utmost attention,” Vanney said.
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Bradley and his teammates also have added incentive to make a statement in Atlanta as they are a in a bit of a precarious situation at the moment with regards to the playoff race. With the regular season in the home stretch, and the Reds sitting below the playoff line in the East, they need every win they can get.
“They are obviously pushing hard for the Supporters’ Shield, pushing hard for it. We know from experience that when that’s something you want to do you can’t afford to drop many points. Where we are [right now] we can’t afford to drop many more points,” Bradley explained.
Toronto is riding a four-game winning streak in all competitions, but, obviously, Atlanta poses a stiff challenge. Vanney believes Saturday’s game could serve as a barometer of the Reds’ recent resurgence.
“We’re trending in the right direction, [we] had our best half of the season in MLS in the second half in the last game. Our rhythm came back; some of the swagger [returned], and the ball was moving quicker, and guys were playing simple,” Vanney said.
“It’s motivation for our group because they know Atlanta is the team up top and rolling, and playing there is always a challenge. But it’s good for us to have to go there and concentrate and play a full game.”
Boasting the best offence (48 goals scored) and the fourth-best defence (26 against) in MLS, Atlanta is also tough to beat at home, winning seven of its 12 matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with only two losses. Atlanta is unbeaten in its last four games overall with three victories, including a 2-1 road win over the Montreal Impact last weekend.
One player the Reds will have to be aware of his Josef Martinez. The Venezuelan is on a torrid scoring pace, with a league-leading 24 goals in 23 games this term, and he is only three behind Roy Lassiter, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips for the single-season record.
“I’m a fan. I think his movement in the box is fantastic and the team plays exactly to his strengths,” striker TFC forward Jozy Altidore said. “It’s fantastic to see. I hope he can break the record.”
Bradley has also been impressed by Martinez.
“His movement, his ability to find space for himself and to anticipate and see where balls are going to get crossed or pop loose, his determination and his hunger to get into spots where he can score goals, that part is at a high level,” Bradley said.
