It usually takes a while for a first-year team to build a rivalry, but if any team is suited to be Toronto FC's antagonists, it is the New York Red Bulls.
Toronto and New York share an unspoken civic rivalry as the two largest business and cultural centers of their respective countries. The two cities also have a long-standing athletic rivalry that spans the Blue Jays and Yankees, the Maple Leafs and the Rangers and Islanders, and even the Raptors and Knicks.
And, most notably, there are a few former Red Bulls on the Toronto roster, not the least of which is coach Mo Johnston. He doesn't see Wednesday's game as a chance for revenge, but rather just as a chance for a win.
"The objective is three points," Johnston said. "I don't care who's coming in. It makes no difference to me."
Johnston became an assistant coach in New York in 2003, and was promoted to the top post with three games left in the 2005 season. Johnston led the Red Bulls to a 2-0-1 record and a playoff berth. After a 2-3-7 start in 2006, however, Johnston was fired.
If the TFC boss bears any ill will towards New York, he isn't showing it. In fact, he praised several Red Bulls players and the efforts of coach Bruce Arena in leading New York to a third-best in MLS 17 points.
"They're stacked with good players," Johnston said. "[Juan Pablo Angel] is certainly one of the ones we need to take care of. Claudio Reyna, [Jozy] Altidore, he's a young kid who's already got three goals -- three game-winning goals. We need to snuff out the areas where Angel, John Wolyniec, Altidore, [Dane] Richards coming down the right-hand side. Bruce has got them playing great."
There is no doubt that New York can score. The Red Bulls lead MLS with a plus-10 goal differential this season, and three players have three goals or more (Altidore with three, and Angel and Clint Mathis each with four).
Angel, in particular, has taken MLS by storm since joining New York. The Colombian forward has four goals and two assists in just four games with the Red Bulls, and was named the MLS Player of the Month for May.
"He's not only a goal scorer inside the penalty box, he can play," Johnston said. "He can link up, he can get on the end of crosses. He's a good header of the ball. He's wonderful for this league, the league needs more of him.
"Defenders have to be aware of where he is at all times on the field, especially when we have the ball. That's when they're most dangerous because they can hurt us on the break, especially Richards with the long pass that gets behind us. Angel is scoring early on in games, and we need to be aware of that and come out of the gate quickly."
Angel's acquisition has obviously made waves throughout the league, but it particularly affected Toronto FC. When Angel was signed on April 17, New York needed to make room on its roster. Defender Marvell Wynne was dealt to TFC two days later for a second-round pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft and a cash allocation.
Wynne (who had been picked No. 1 overall in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft) was surprised by the deal, but was happy to be reunited with the coach who drafted him -- Mo Johnston.
"I knew I was coming back to Mo, and I know how Mo coaches," Wynne said. "I thought it was a great opportunity to play somewhere else.
"There's no more extra incentive [in facing New York]," he added. "I know I want to prove Bruce wrong, but he made a great trade and got Angel. It's just another game, I'm going against some friends, but besides that, I'm just going to go out and do my best like in every game."
With three players missing at the Gold Cup and the reserve squad depleted by the Canadian Under-20 World Cup team, Toronto FC will be once again dealing with a lack of depth in Wednesday's game. Added to the list of those unavailable is defender Kevin Goldthwaite, who is serving the mandatory one-game suspension after receiving a red card in Saturday's 2-1 win over Colorado.
One player who will be back, however, is Carl Robinson. The midfielder missed the Colorado game due to international duty with his native Wales in their 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic in a Euro 2008 qualifier.
"I came back straight away, even caught a flight back early Sunday because I wanted to play against New York," Robinson said. "Obviously they are one of the so-called better teams in the league and you want to play in those big games. I haven't gotten rid of the jet lag quite yet, but hopefully that'll go today. I'm looking forward to the game."
Robinson said he was energized by his country's result against the highly-regarded Czech side, and hopes his club can continue its own streak of strong showings against some of MLS's better teams. Toronto's three wins have come against Chicago (14 points), Houston (defending MLS Cup champions) and Colorado (second in the Western Conference).
If TFC continues to elevate their game against quality opponents, it bodes well for the next stretch of the schedule. After New York on Wednesday, Toronto hosts first-place FC Dallas on June 17 before a tough two-game road to the two top sides in the Eastern Conference, New England and Kansas City.
With his team's roster woes in mind, Johnston is counting on Toronto's BMO Field advantage to produce some results.
"It's vital we pick up [points] because we're going to lose certain bodies," Johnston said. "When you lose depth and go on the road for a while, it's tough. So we need to be able to pick up at least three or four points in these next two games."
Step one begins Wednesday. It may not just be first of three games Toronto will play against the Red Bulls this season, but perhaps the beginning of TFC's first MLS nemesis.
"It's always good when you have [a rivalry]," Johnston said. "Should it be, or will it be, who knows. I think anyone coming in here thinks it's a cup final, so it bodes well for us."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
