Following a resounding 4-1 defeat at the hands of the New England Revolution on Saturday, many fingers were pointing straight at the Toronto FC back line.
TFC are hoping to address those defensive misgivings with the announcement on Monday of the signing of defenders Adrian Cann and Maksim Usanov.
Cann, a 29-year-old Canadian, was drafted back in 2004 by the Colorado Rapids. After playing in just two matches for the MLS club, he was released and continued his career with Montreal and Vancouver in the USL and most recently with Danish club Esberg.
Since 2003, Usanov has bounced around several clubs in Russia and Latvia. According to reports, the Russian most recently played for FC Krasnodar in the second tier of Russian soccer.
Usanov crossed paths with another new Toronto player, Raivis Hscanovics, while at Latvian club Skonto Riga. Hscanovics made his MLS debut as a left back against the Revs after signing officially on Saturday. The Latvian, who reportedly departed Skonto Riga due to knee problems, was exposed on multiple occasions on Saturday by New England’s Sainey Nyassi.
It remains to be seen whether either Cann or Usanov will be part of Thursday’s home opener at BMO Field against the expansion Philadelphia Union (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes). Both players are waiting on an ITC and Usanov also needs a Canadian work permit.
Toronto has conceded six goals and scored one in its first two matches, which both resulted in defeats.
