Toronto FC are looking to extend their unbeaten run to six games when they take on D.C. United at BMO Field, Wednesday night. Kick off is 7:30 p.m. live on The Score. The game brings to an end TFC's run of five straight at home. The Reds have only conceded one goal in the last four games.
Toronto haven't lost since they were beaten 4-1 at D.C. United at the start of April, but central defender Marco Velez knows the team has made massive defensive improvement since then. "We just want to get a result, it doesn't matter who it is against, but it would be nice to beat them in both games to prove that we're not going anywhere and we're getting better and better. We're a different side now, much more organized. We're playing way better football so hopefully we can show that tonight," said Velez.
"When we were back in DC, we were still getting to know each other. But since then we've been working hard in practice and we've been gelling together and communicating well so we're much stronger now. We just have to worry about what we need to do and not worry about anybody else. It's very important to finish off this run at home unbeaten and then that will give us lots of confidence as we head on the road for Saturday's game."
Midfielder Rohan Ricketts hadn't signed for the team when TFC were in Washington, but watched the game on television. He believes hard work on the training ground has paid off. "We've been working very hard on defending as a team. John Carver has been working with us a lot on that. It has to be a collective effort from the strikers all the way to Greg Sutton. It gives us a solid base, and everyone has been fantastic."
Ricketts has been impressed with way the team has been playing at home, but is determined to turn draws into wins. "It will be good if we can stay unbeaten at home, but we really need to get three points. I thought we should have got three points against Columbus. A few of us missed some chances, including myself so it felt like we lost two points. I was gutted that we didn't win."
"We're a good side but we've still got a lot of things we can improve on. We'll work hard tonight, because that has been the base that we have built this unbeaten run on. I look at it as a game we must win, because we're at home and unbeaten with good spirit and momentum," said Ricketts.
"We've got to find a way to break team's down. It's good that teams are showing us respect, but we've got to go and rub it in their faces and win games because that's what it's all about."
Traffic notes:
It's going to be a busy night on the Exhibition Grounds, so if you're driving to the game, you'll need to give yourself extra time to find parking. The Marlies are in play off action at Ricoh Coliseum and there's a sold out concert at the Molson Amphitheatre. The Blue Jays are also home tomorrow night so expect traffic downtown to be heavier than normal.
