There are four games across Major League Soccer in today’s first leg of the Conference Semifinals but make no mistake about it: the marquee match-up of the day takes place at BMO Field.
With the prime time, 7 PM kick-off, MLS is betting on the star power that both Toronto FC and New York City FC are laden with to propel this game, the first ever Conference Semifinal appearance for Toronto, into instant classic status. And it’s a safe bet.
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Many of the faces of the league will converge by Lake Ontario, including Toronto’s Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore and New York City’s David Villa and Andrea Pirlo. Three of the last four matches between these two teams have been entertaining draws, going back to July 12 of last season when Giovinco notched a hat trick in nine minutes and Villa netted a brace in a 4-4 thriller. Yet for that one, Toronto FC was missing captain Michael Bradley and Altidore who were away on national team duties. Also missing was New York City’s Frank Lampard, one of the more hyped designated player arrivals in the league in recent memory.
In fact, in the five matches all time between the two (New York City FC entered the league as an expansion franchise in 2015) all six designated players have never featured in a match at once for various reasons, including injuries. That’s going to change Sunday night.
“It sets up for a wonderful spectacle, if you will, for the league and what the league’s about” said Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney yesterday.
Last week’s 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union was essentially a wild card, play-in match before the Conference Semifinals and Finals, both of which will be aggregate, two-match affairs. As such, it was at times a scrappy, back-and-forth affair in which desperation became evident.
With at least 180 minutes of soccer coming up between these two talented sides, expect tactics to take more of a front seat.
“Kudos to the Coach on the other side too, Patrick Vieria and all the things that he’s done as a player and a young manager,” said Vanney. “And we’ve seen him over the course of the year do some really interesting things, tactically, that from my perspective will make us I’m sure think during the course of the game which makes for a really interesting challenge. In addition to all the ability that’s going to be on the field.”
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Vanney also mentioned that there would be some “Twists and turns” throughout the two matches. These dramatic turns are clearly what the league hopes will occur. The element for surprise and tactical adjustments could be what drive Sunday night’s match, with a crowd of 30,000 expected at BMO Field.
“Both teams have a lot of guys who can make you pay if you make mistakes,” Vanney said. “Whether it’s Seba or Jozy or any of our guys, or Lampard or Villa, they’re guys who, with one chance, can put this tie away.”