The best offensive half in club history propelled Toronto FC to a 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
All three goals came in the opening 32 minutes. Danny Dichio and Andrew Boyens gave TFC a lead after 29 minutes, then Herculez Gomez pulled a goal back for the Rapids three minutes later. Toronto finished the game a man down after Kevin Goldthwaite was sent off in the 81st minute, but Colorado couldn't capitalize.
Toronto jumped out to a quick lead in the ninth minute. Marvell Wynne collected a long pass from Boyens on the right flank and rounded the corner. He then made a pair of wonderful moves to evade Rapids midfielders Nicolas Hernandez and Jovan Kirovski to bring the ball to the edge of the goal area.
Wynne made a centering pass that found the foot of TFC striker Danny Dichio, who made no mistake in tipping the ball past Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul. It was Dichio's team-leading third goal of the season, made all the more impressive by the fact that the forward has played in just five games. It was just the second time in 10 games this season that the Rapids failed to score first.
Colorado's defense looked overmatched by the TFC attack, and only Coundoul kept the game from becoming a rout. A breakdown in the Rapids midfield left Toronto forward Jeff Cunningham racing in alone on net, but Coundoul stopped both Cunningham's shot and the point-blank rebound by Andy Welsh. A few minutes later, the goalkeeper raced to the goal area line to cut off a charging Dichio before the forward could take a clean shot.
Coundoul couldn't hold off the relentless TFC offense forever. Ronnie O'Brien's corner kick in the 29th minute was perfectly headed by Boyens into the left side of the net to give Toronto a 2-0 lead. The goal was Boyens' first of his MLS career, and capped off a thrilling week for the 23-year-old that also saw him win his first international cap for his native New Zealand.
Boyens' goal seemed to wake up the Rapids. Colorado striker Conor Casey, acquired from TFC on April 19, carried the ball past the Toronto defense and slipped it through to Gomez. The Rapids striker moved to the right of the penalty area to create an angle on 'keeper Srdjan Djekanovic, and buried the shot inside the far post for his fourth goal of the season.
By halftime, Toronto had already set a new single-game team record for most shots on goal (nine). On the flipside for the Rapids, Toronto's nine shots on goal and 11 shots overall were the most allowed by the club in any game this season, let alone a half. Coundoul's seven saves equalled the most he had been forced to make in any game this year.
The second half got off to a much slower pace. Both clubs exchanged long passes across the midfield and clearing kicks from the goalkeepers that resulted in no real offensive chances through the first 25 minutes of the half.
The best chance for either club in the second half came in the 73rd minute, when O'Brien passed to Dichio in front of the Colorado goal area. Dichio set a pick and held the ball until he could chip it to a charging O'Brien, coming hard past Dichio's right side. O'Brien managed a hard shot, but Coundoul knocked it away to keep it a one-goal game.
The Rapids were unable to generate any chances in the second half, let alone the tying goal. Colorado had five total shots in the half, only one of which was on goal.
The club couldn't even capitalize on a one-man advantage after Toronto left back Goldthwaite was sent off following an off-the-ball altercation in the 81st minute. Colorado spent much of the period after Goldthwaite's ejection in control of the ball, but were unable to penetrate Toronto's defensive shell.
The last gasp for the Rapids came in added time, when the ball fell for Colorado defender Mike Petke right in front of the TFC net, but his side volley sailed just over the crossbar.
Toronto FC won't get much time to rest on their laurels, as their next game is on Wednesday against Eastern Conference powerhouse New York Red Bulls. The New York game will mark the end of a tiring stretch for Toronto FC that included seven games in 26 days. TFC have thus far managed a 3-1-1 record over that stretch, plus a scoreless draw in a friendly with SL Benfica.
The Rapids, meanwhile, saw their four-game unbeaten streak snapped with the loss. The club continues their three-game road swing on Thursday in Houston.
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
