Toronto FC vs. DC United | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Toronto FC vs. D.C. United
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 16
BMO Field — Toronto
June 13 – 8 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/4/5, ESPN+

Toronto FC look to continue to move up the Eastern Conference standings when they host a D.C. United squad that is coming off a tough 2-1 loss at Seattle.

The Reds have won four of their last seven league games with D.C. United (1L-2D), limiting the Black-and-Red to just five goals, per Opta.

Toronto FC

Toronto FC (4-7-2) picked up three massive points Friday night on the road, defeating the Philadelphia Union, 2-0, at Talen Energy Stadium. It was the Reds’ second road win over the Union this year.

Jonathan Osorio struck for a brace 60 minutes apart, the first coming in the 19th minute on assists from Victor Vazquez and Michael Bradley, while Sebastian Giovinco set up the late insurance goal.

“I’m happy for the guys working through things,” Greg Vanney said. “It wasn’t perfect – that’s natural on the road, but we continue to work, find solutions, finish the chances that we needed to on the night. I’m happy for the guys to grind. That’s what you’ve got to do in these moments: work hard, compete, and find the right answers.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: F – Jozy Altidore (foot surgery), D – Drew Moor (quadricep strain), D – Chris Mavinga (hamstring strain), GK – Caleb Patterson-Sewell (elbow injury); DOUBTFUL: D – Ashtone Morgan (hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Alex Bono — Gregory van der Wiel, Nick Hagglund, Jason Hernandez, Nicolas Hasler — Auro, Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio — Jay Chapman, Sebastian Giovinco, Victor Vazquez

• Notes: Giovinco has seven combined goals and assists since May 1. He had two in the first two months of the season. … Toronto have scored multiple goals in six of their last eight MLS games (15 goals total, 3W-3L-2D). They had one such game in their first five MLS contests (1W-4L).

D.C. United

D.C. United (2-6-3) had a second-half lead and were level inside of the final 10 minutes, but they left CenturyLink Field with no points after the Sounders rallied for the late winner.

Darren Mattocks put D.C. United in front in the 53rd minute on his sixth goal of the season, but Nicolas Lodeiro leveled four minutes later and Magnus Wolff Eikrem followed with the 83rd-minute winner for the hosts.

“There were a few positive takeaways, but unfortunately they created one more play than us and we came up empty,” Ben Olsen said. “We’ll evaluate and bounce back for Toronto on Wednesday.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D – Taylor Kemp (groin injury), M – Russell Canouse (knee injury), D – Chris Odoi-Atsem (calf injury), M – Ulises Segura (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE: D – Nick DeLeon (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: David Ousted — Oniel Fisher, Frederic Brillant, Steve Birnbaum, Joseph Mora — Junior Moreno — Zoltan Stieber, Paul Arriola, Luciano Acosta, Yamil Asad — Darren Mattocks

• Notes: All three of Yamil Asad’s goals this season have come from outside the box, tied for the most in MLS. Only four players had more than three goals from outside the box in 2017. … D.C. United have conceded in 13 consecutive league road matches (1W-9L-3D), allowing an average of 2.3 goals per game in that time.

All-Time Series

• Overall: Toronto FC 10 wins, 38 goals … D.C. United 13 wins, 45 goals … 5 draws
• At Toronto: Toronto FC 6 wins, 17 goals … D.C. United 8 wins, 16 goals … 1 draw
• Last meeting at Toronto: Toronto FC 2, D.C. United 0 (June 17, 2017)

Officials

Referee: Robert Sibiga
Assistant Referees: Jason White, Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4th Official: Ismir Pekmic
VAR: Sorin Stoica