Toronto FC left Saturday's match against San Jose with big advantages on the stat sheet -- an 11-4 edge in shots, 4-2 in shots on goal, 5-2 on corner kicks and a large disparity in time of possession.
Unfortunately for the Reds, however, those numbers didn't extend to the scoreboard, as TFC ended up with a 0-0 draw against the last-place Earthquakes.
Reds coach John Carver agonized over the missed opportunities, upset that his team couldn't come away with a victory after controlling most of the game and virtually all of the second half.
"I thought we dominated the game," Carver said. "We've thrown the kitchen sink at them. We missed a penalty, we missed a one-on-one. Amado [Guevara]'s got one from six yards that's over the bar, and you'd put your mortgage on him [making it]."
Guevara was the symbol of Toronto's frustrations in the game. The Honduran international came up short on two prime scoring chances, one in each half. In the 34th minute, Guevara was on the spot for the rebound when San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon fell after blocking a Marvell Wynne attempt from the right side. Guevara had the entire left side of the net to work with, but the forward's attempt flew above the crossbar.
An even better chance presented itself in the 68th minute. After striker Abdus Ibrahim was fouled in the penalty area, TFC was awarded a penalty kick that Guevara was chosen to take. The forward looked like he didn't quite catch the ball fully with his shot, and Cannon was able to block the attempt to keep the game scoreless.
Turnovers and missed passes kept the Reds from overwhelming San Jose with their attack, but TFC still had more than enough chances to score and just couldn't get the breakthrough goal.
"Every game you're frustrated [when] you don't win," said team captain Jim Brennan. "You play to win, you don't play for a draw. You're frustrated after that game because we do so much but you can't put the ball in the back of the net."
Of Toronto's 11 shots, four were taken by Ibrahim, the 16-year-old forward who was making his first MLS start after notching his first career goal last Saturday in Chicago. It was the latest step in the youngster's development as he played the full 90 minutes and seemed to create problems for the Earthquakes' back line.
"I had to pace myself and try to get behind the defense," Ibrahim said. "[And] just work hard. We had a lot of chances but we couldn't put them in."
Since Saturday's game was decided by a lack of finishing, it will only add more fire to TFC's long-stated intent to acquire a striker during the transfer window. With scoring leader Danny Dichio sidelined with a concussion, Carver said that his team isn't looking to leave things at just one new forward.
"I can't rely on a young kid to go out there and perform," Carver said. "But I'll tell you what, [Ibrahim's] not bad either. He did okay today, but I can't keep throwing him in there. I've got to protect him and look after him, so yes, we need more than one [forward], it's pretty obvious."
Carver said he was pleased with the fact that the back line and goalkeeper Greg Sutton were able to record a fairly uneventful clean sheet, and that his team was still playing hard in its seventh game in a 22-day span.
"What I said to them was, 'you can't give any more than you've given,' " Carver said. "They've given every ounce in there. We've had a lot of football recently and they've given all they've got. They created chances, they've not put the chances away. Eventually that will come. If you keep consistent with things and believing in what you're doing, eventually the ball will go in the back of the net."
The brutal schedule isn't quite over yet, as the Reds have just two days of rest before facing the Montreal Impact on Tuesday in a match that will decide the Voyageurs Cup and determine Canada's representative in the CONCACAF Champions' League. TFC must win the game to win the Cup, and Canadian international Brennan said the Reds desperately want to be the side with national bragging rights.
"We need to win that game," Brennan said. "That's vital for us and the fans. We'll be going out and working hard and be in the right frame of mind for Tuesday."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
