A day after Toronto FC recorded their first win of 2008, the team was back on the pitch Sunday against a much younger opponent, the US Under-17 National Team.
Head Coach John Carver fielded a completely different squad from the previous day, opting to give some of the trialists and younger players a chance to impress.
The game itself started shaky for Toronto FC, and after only 12 minutes the U-17's were ahead 1-0. Scott Caldwell was gifted possession of the ball from the wing after Phelan appeared to be fouled shielding the ball. Caldwell sent a shot in from just outside the 18 yard box, which managed to hit a TFC defender fooling goalkeeper Brian Edwards off the ricochet.
Jamie Watson looked like he had a clear chance on goal in the 23rd minute but his legs were taken out from underneath him and a penalty was called. Kiki Musampa stepped up to convert the penalty on a coolly taken shot to the goalkeeper's right which leveled the score.
After a number of giveaways and poor decision making from both sides, Toronto managed a couple chances before half. Andrea Lombardo's shot in the 42nd minute failed to trouble the keeper and Xavier Balc's header from the corner in the 44th minute sailed just wide of the net.
The second half began a bit more promising than the first with both Watson and Smith getting chances in the 56th and 59th minute. Unfortunately neither of them really troubled the US keeper, who was rarely tested. In the 70th minute Watson broke through the defence and had a great look at the goal, but his shot fired high over the net.
It wasn't until the 87th minute off a corner that TFC was rewarded for their continuous pressure. Tyler Rosenlund sent in a great ball which was met by Pat Phelan who made a clever near post run, his header was too quick for the US keeper and the ball ended up in the back of the net.
This goal must have rattled the sturdy U-17 defence as a minute after the second goal, Watson found himself clear on net when Musampa sent him in all alone with a great ball over the last defender. Watson managed to dribble the ball by the US keeper to put TFC up 3-1, which is how the game ended.
Toronto finishes off their Bradenton preseason schedule with a match against Chicago on Wednesday, February 20th at 10am, before flying back to Toronto on Friday.
Scoring Summary:
US U-17: Caldwell 12'
TFC: Musampa 24' PK
TFC: Phelan (Rosenlund) 87'
TFC: Watson (Musampa) 88'
Toront FC Line up: Edwards, Attakora-Gyan, Boyens, Phelan, Zaher, Smith (Lombardo 72), Musampa, Rosenlund, Balc (Gala 45), Watson, Lombardo (Melo 45).
