Toronto FC's young squad showed relicience Saturday evening, facing a deficit twice, including only two minutes into the game, but still battling back to net a 2-2 draw in their first-ever trip to Crew Stadium.
After playing at home for nearly a month, Toronto FC left the friendly confines of BMO Field having won two of three MLS contests as well as playing to a spirited draw in an international friendly with Portuguese powerhouse SL Benfica.
After Andy Herron's first goal put TFC behind two minutes into to game, Toronto settled into a counterattacking style that seemed to well well against the possession-oriented style that the home side favored. The result was several quick-hitting chances created for former Crew player Jeff Cunningham.
"We are a quality side," said Cunningham after his first game with his new club. "We've got good players and they found a way to get me involved and create chances for me. If I had been better with those, we would be walking away with three points. As I get a better understanding with them, the timing will be there and I will do better with my chances next time."
Cunningham did manage to get his name on the scoresheet, as he so often does, with an assist on TFC's first goal by Danny Dichio. This time Dichio was the recipient of a Toronto long ball and the forward used Cunningham for a give-and-go that drew TFC even at 1-1.
TFC brought with them a rowdy group of supporters who certainly made their presence known in the southeast corner of the stadium. They stood the entire game and chanted, cheered and sang their team to its first-ever point from a game played outside of Canada.
"Oh, they're wonderful," said Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston of the team's supporters. "When you come up to Toronto you can see the way they get behind the team. It's magnificent. I want to thank the fans who traveled all this way. You don't often see traveling away fans and I think it is good for this league and it is good for Columbus to see fans like that."
Despite all that they did well, TFC still could manage only a draw. Johnston does not see a problem with that at all, choosing to emphasize the positives.
"It's good for this group," Johnston said. "We came out on the road and got something. The monkey is off our back."
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
