What: Union at Toronto FC
When: 4:30pm ET
Where: BMO Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV: Comcast Network
Referee: Juan Guzman
It has been a season of surprises and disappointment for the Philadelphia Union.
photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
All-time record: 2–1–1
At PPL Park: 1–0–1
At BMO Field: 1–1–0
Goals for: 10
Goals against: 6
Did you know...
The Union's 6 goals in their 6-2 victory in Toronto last season was the most goals they've ever
scored in an MLS match.
Ever since their CONCACAF Champions League run came to an end, Toronto FC have been hit with a
string of setbacks, one after another. There are still ways for Toronto FC's calamitous season to
get worse, though, and one of those scenarios presents itself tonight.
Playing at home against the rival and expansion Montreal Impact, Toronto FC need a victory in
the second leg of their tie to avoid being sent home in the semifinals of the Canadian championship
for the first time in the tournament's five-year history.
Busy weekend in Major League Soccer, but before we get to the attendance numbers, here are a
couple of quick hitters from the last couple of days. The Philly Inquirer provided this article
over the weekend that looked at Philadelphia areas sports fans and teams. Perhaps most
interesting from the soccer perspective, was the statement that the Union enjoy a 2 thousand person
season ticket waiting list.
"Thanks... was that so hard?"With the first MLS meeting between Toronto FC and Olympique du Fromage behind us, it is safe to say
"The 401 Derby" is here to stay. There is very little love lost between the red clad fans on this
end of the highway and the bleu clad on the eastern end.
Week 4 of MLS action saw two league leaders fall and one come back on the road. The Revolution
handed the Galaxy a defeat to put them in last place of the Western Conference while Real Salt Lake
climbed back to win against Portland. San Jose gave Seattle all they can handle and suddenly out of
nowhere the New York Red Bulls impressed.
Chicago Fire players pose in their new Quaker Oats sponsored jerseys. (Photo Credit: Chicago
Fire)Last week we posted the news and a snazzy video announcing that the Chicago Fire had landed a
new jersey sponsor, Quaker Oasts, after an empty-chested 2011. Given that several Major League
Soccer clubs do not have shirt sponsors (by choice or otherwise), these news releases are always a
sign of forward progress for American soccer.
I don't think this is what Hart had in mind...
It was a nice night out at BMO, but deja vu was in the air. The last time a team in red played a
team from the not-quite-a-U.S.-state, it was a group-stage clincher-type set-up where the visitors
put 8 defenders in front of their goal and got the result needed to wreck everything.
New York ekes out a draw at BMO, then takes down MLS' top club at home to move closer to a
playoff spot. Mark and Dave break down the scenarios & talk a little USMNT before chatting with
RBNY correspondent Kristian Dyer. Some strong listener email as well. Two to play! CSRN MEDIA
PLAYER
This joke is kinda meta, as it's both a San Jose joke and a Clash/Big Audio Dynamite joke.
My apologies but this is the inner music nerd's idea of "crossover funny".
Seriously. Seriously. The weather huh? Seriously. If this were a bus stop and someone wanted to
make small talk about the weather, I'd consider making a shiv with my house key and stabbing them
repeatedly.
STARTERS
Brian Sciaretta of Yanks Abroad reports that Alejandro Bedoya has signed a contract with Rangers in
which he will move to that club in January when his current contract expires with Orebro.
dN
Unholy Faceplant Batman - Seattle gave up SIX second half goals and lost 0-7 to Manchester United
last night.
The Montreal Impact and BMO Financial Group have announced that BMO will become the presenting
sponsor of the Montreal Impact when the team kicks off its inagural MLS campagin in 2012. Already
the presenting sponsor of TFC and with a stadium naming rights deal in Toronto, BMO is continuing
its significant investment in MLS.
Joey Saputo, president of the Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday the Canadian banking
financial group, Bank of Montreal (BMO), as the primary partner and shirt sponsor for their
inaugural season in Major League Soccer for 2012. He made the announcement as he sat in front of a
BMO banner overlooking Saputo Stadium decorated with BMO dasher boards as he The sponsorship is a
5-year deal but other terms of the contract were not announced.
While some Major League Soccer teams are without jersey sponsors, the Montreal Impact won't have
that problem heading into its inaugural season in the league in 2012.
The Impact announced a five-year sponsorship deal with the Bank of Montreal (BMO) on Tuesday,
one that includes the BMO logo appearing on the front of the club's uniforms.
STARTERSMy Stars will do their damnedest tonight to repay Puerto Rico for a bad loss 3 weeks ago. Lets go
Stars.
dN
Motagua, Comunicaciones and Alajuelense have won the championships of Honduras, Guatemala and Costa
Rica respectively. Huge congrats to all of them.
Fire's Gonzalo Segares -- Getty ImagesBRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire and Toronto FC have some
similarities in that both sides underwent some significant turnaround heading into the year, and
both are struggling near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
The Fire head to BMO Field this Saturday to take on the Reds, and both sides could use a lift.
Pizza The Hutt - Head of MLS RefereesMmm, wet Pizza Hut. The Texan weather god (I
think his name is Jeb) decided to make Toronto FC feel at home by absolutely ruining FC Dallas'
home pitch with a day full of wind, rain and other biblical misfortune. Seriously, that's downright
BMO-like.
Houston Dynamo (3-2-3) vs. Toronto FC (1-3-4) BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario - 6:00pm CT
BROADCAST INFORMATION
KHOU 11.2 (ENG TV)
TV Azteca-51 - 8:30 a.m. Sunday (SPN TV)
Sports Talk 790 (ENG Radio)
La Ranchera 850 (SPN Radio)
REFEREE: Jorge Gonzalez.
LA Galaxy
Conference: West Position: 3rd
W-L-D: 2-1-2 (0 points, -1 goal differential)
Away Form: 1-1-1 (-2 goal differential)
Recent Form: DWLDW
Last Meeting: Toronto FC 0 LA Galaxy 0 (June 26, 2010)
The big boys are coming to town.
On January 12, 2011, the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer announced a four year, $12
million dollar deal with Mexican food conglomerate Bimbo. While the notion of prominent uniform
advertisements is foreign in most American sports, MLS has embraced such sponsorships as an
important source of revenue.
After a long day of trades, drafts, and Rooney's brother, we finally can step back and see how
Toronto FC fared in yesterday's MLS SuperDraft. I'll spare you all of the minor backroom details
and get right to it: TFC picked up four new players and offloaded 2 more to continue the mass
exodus from BMO.
The new TFC 2011 kit wasn't a hitBleary eyed. Terrible headache. Mouth tastes of old booze and smoke. You look in the mirror and
promise yourself... "never again". No, it's not the day after the final Toronto FC match of the
season - it's January 1st.
The Reds, and particularly their owners, don't make it very easy to look forward to 2011 but if
there is one day of the year where you have to at least try to wipe the slate clean it's today.
