Thanks to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Canadian Under-20 World Cup training camp and Euro 2008 qualifying matches, Toronto FC were missing regulars in goal, in the midfield and on defense Saturday.
The attack, however, looks to be just fine.
Toronto collected a team-record 14 total shots and 10 shots on goal in a 2-1 win over Colorado on Saturday at BMO Field. Nine of those shots on goal came in a blistering first half that saw TFC score twice and just miss on as many as four other chances.
"I felt in the first half, we opened up a very good team and we created a bunch of chances," said Toronto coach Mo Johnston. "[Some] didn't go in, but you know what, they're gonna start going in because of the chances that [Jeff Cunningham] gets, he's going to start finishing them."
Though he didn't collect any points himself, Cunningham led the Toronto attack in his second game with the club after a May 22 trade. The forward drew the attention of the Rapids defenders and just missed a few breakaway opportunities due to offsides calls.
TFC has four goals in the two games that Cunningham has played, compared to just five in the previous seven games this season.
"Jeff Cunningham will keep any defense stretched," Johnston said. "That's the part I like because it opens up the midfield for the likes of a Ronnie O'Brien or a Carl Robinson or a Maurice Edu."
The highlight of Toronto's big half didn't come from Cunningham or any of the midfielders, however. It came from the offensively unheralded Marvell Wynne, who entered the game with three assists in his 36-game MLS career.
Wynne took a long pass from defender Andrew Boyens and turned the corner on the right side of the field. He worked the ball through the legs of Rapids midfielder Nicolas Hernandez, and then simply ran past midfielder Jovan Kirovski to launch a centering pass. Forward Danny Dichio was on the spot to convert Wynne's pass into Toronto's first goal of the game.
It was Wynne's first assist with Toronto FC, and the 21-year-old said he was happy to be so involved in the play.
"Usually when I get an assist, it's just a cross from way out," Wynne said. "This time I got in there, put a couple more touches on it and got a direct assist."
Wynne downplayed his highlight-reel evasion of Hernandez, saying he was just happy to create a chance.
"It's like a doorway opening," Wynne said about his deke. "It's like, 'I did it,' and then you feel free, you have so much more time on you. My offensive skills are limited at best, but ... I think it's to my advantage that people know I'm fast. I can fake one way, go the other and beat them to the punch."
Boyens also picked up an assist on the play, and the defender collected his first MLS goal later in the half when he headed (or, maybe, 'shouldered') a Ronnie O'Brien corner past Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul.
"Danny was right in front of me and I thought he was going to get it," Boyens explained. "I kind of saw it late. It almost kind of bumbled off my shoulder a little bit, but you take them as they come. ... To be able to score one at this level is great, and I'm hoping to do it a couple more times this year."
For all of Toronto's offensive fireworks in the half, they went to the break only up one goal thanks to seven stops from Coundoul and a late goal from Colorado midfielder Herculez Gomez. Johnston said he was "disappointed" by an Andy Welsh giveaway that led to Gomez's goal.
"Welsh should never have tried to come inside," Johnston said. "But those are the mistakes that guys are going to make. When you give the ball away early in this league, you're going to get punished.
"It would've been really nice to sit down [ahead] 4-1 or 5-1," he added. "But Colorado is a team that's going to come back at you. That's why they've got [15] points."
It was a game that very nearly got away from TFC in the end, after defender Kevin Goldthwaite was sent off in the 81st minute for foul language. Aside from a near-miss during injury time from Rapids defender Mike Petke, however, the Toronto defense held strong to secure the victory.
"When we go up 2-0, [we have to work on] not making it a difficult game for us," Boyens said. "The first 30 minutes was pretty good. I don't think we gave them a sniff. Now we have to work on doing that for longer periods of time and controlling the match."
TFC will try to keep the hot streak going when they host the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. It will be another test of will for the tired Toronto squad, who have played five league games and a friendly in the last 22 days. Carl Robinson is expected back from the Welsh national team, but TFC will still be missing several players to international duty.
Still, Johnston feels this win over the Rapids is the latest sign that his team is building something special.
"I felt today was a vital three points," Johnston said. "We had guys missing and our schedule was very tough coming into this. When you analyze the last four or five games, this team has battled. They've shown character and resilience."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
