even with a man down."
• Kreis stayed with the three-attacker approach, and for the third consecutive game it meant points. However, Kreis maintained it's at the other end of the field where the change in system has had the most effect.
• "Most of our good plays came from our defending," he said. "We put the right amount of commitment and energy towards our defense. This is going to open up some space for us to play when we get the ball. We have players on the field that can create their own opportunities or make opportunities for others."
• However, Olave's ejection marked the third of the season for RSL, and all have contributed to points lost. RSL was not able to overcome an early deficit in a 2-0 loss to Colorado on May 2, and on June 6 vs. Colorado and the Houston match, RSL conceded the equalizer in 1-1 draws in both cases after the red card.
• "All three ejections for me -- for our team this year -- have been (unnecessary)," Kreis said. "We've put ourselves at risk with referees. So I hope those decisions -- we can cut those out, so that we won't be down a man again this season."
• After a spell of five games where RSL scored just two goals, they've scored five in their last four - modest, perhaps, but they've scored seven goals total in the nine games since hitting for a club-record six vs. New England.
• "Definitely, the mood around the team is changing," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "We just feel like ourselves again. So we just need to keep building on it."
TORONTO FC
Toronto FC defeated the New York Red Bulls for the second time in 11 days and ran their winning streak to three games in all competitions, this time a 2-0 victory Wednesday at BMO Field. TFC has 22 points from 15 matches, now alone in second place in the Eastern Conference, a point behind D.C. United and a point ahead of the Chicago Fire.
LAST MATCH
• The teams had met on the shores of Lake Ontario on June 13 in a 2-1 TFC victory; the Reds had no league games in between, though the Red Bulls returned home for a 1-1 draw with Seattle Sounders FC.
• Wearing pink shirts to benefit the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the "Reds" took the lead in the 37th minute. Nana Attakora sent a high ball into the area and as Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero hesitated coming off his line, the ball bounced high into the air then Pablo Vitti outjumped the 'keeper to nod a looping header into the net, his first goal since coming to MLS.
• TFC doubled their lead just before the hour mark. From the right touchline, Chad Barrett chipped the ball over the Red Bulls into the area, and Dwayne De Rosario got to it first, flicking it high over Cepero first-time and into the goal for his fifth goal on the season.
• TFC interim head coach Chris Cummins made two changes to the team that defeated New York 2-1 on June 13. Jim Brennan and Chad Barrett returned to the team, Danny Dichio going to the substitutes' bench and Kevin Harmse having been dealt to Chivas USA.
• Here's Cummins' team (4-4-2): Stefan Frei - Nana Attakora, Nick Garcia, Adrian Serioux, Jim Brennan - Amado Guevara, Sam Cronin, Carl Robinson, Dwayne De Rosario (Marco Velez 86) - Chad Barrett (Danny Dichio 64), Pablo Vitti (Fuad Ibrahim 75). Substitutes Not Used: Brian Edwards, Gabe Gala, Emmanuel Gomez, O'Brian White
TEAM NEWS
• With the back-to-back two-goal games against the Red Bulls, TFC has scored multiple goals in consecutive games for the first time this season. Added to that was the remarkable 6-1 victory against l'Impact de Montréal to win the Canadian Championship the week before.
• "My team talk was about cup hangovers. I think people thought we might have a cup hangover and not perform. I was very conscious of that. It's given us loads of confidence. Nobody thought we'd go up to Montreal and get the four goals, let alone six," Cummins said.
• The Reds have also won back-to-back games for the second time this season, after defeating Chivas USA and the Kansas City Wizards both by 1-0 scorelines on April 22 and 26.
• "It was a very good, professional performance from the lads," said Cummins. "We set ourselves a target -- six points from the two games [against New York] and we've gotten that. It's given ourselves a good push in the league now."
• For Vitti, it was his first competitive goal since coming to TFC in an offseason loan deal with Independiente of Argentina. He first attracted the MLS club with a goal he scored in a friendly against TFC last summer.
• "I'm going to maybe ask for the jersey so I can score more goals in the future," joked Vitti through a translator. "I was happy. I was looking for the goal for a long time, and finally I got it."
• Nana Attakora started for the sixth time in the last seven games, the last two in place of U.S. international Marvell Wynne at right back. "You see the kid, he's just improving all the time," Cummins said. "He's given me a massive problem when I get Marvell back. He hasn't put a foot wrong and he's been outstanding for us."
• The two-game losing streak in league play dropped TFC into a big tie for third place in the Eastern Conference - but they could be back atop the division by the end of the weekend.
• "We had a tough swing before this, losing three in a row, and we kept plugging away and we got the results," De Rosario said. "You work hard, you play with that bite and that determination, you're going to get that result no matter what jersey you wear. We have to have that same mentality going in this weekend."
