After a coaching shakeup, Toronto FC looks for a fresh start when they host Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
Sitting 26th of 29 MLS teams in points, Toronto (3-7-10, 19 points) fired head coach and sporting director Bob Bradley on Monday. Jason Hernandez was promoted from assistant general manager to the head GM job, while Terry Dunfield was named interim head coach.
“Both on the field and off the field, we have not been in harmony and we have not been in sync. … We all need to look in the mirror and we all need to be accountable, and we need to do better,” team president Bill Manning said.
Toronto FC are winless in their last five (0-2-3) games, including last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the New England Revolution. Deandre Kerr scored for Toronto in the 11th minute, but the team again couldn’t hold an early lead, dropping to 3-2-5 this season in games when they had the lead.
Toronto will be missing at least 10 players due to injury or international duty on Saturday. Richie Laryea, Michael Bradley, Sigurd Rosted, Jonathan Osorio, and Sean Johnson are some of the regulars who are not expected to be available against Real Salt Lake (7-7-6, 27 points).
A shorthanded Toronto FC lineup will be challenged by the best road team in MLS. Salt Lake is 5-3-2 in away games this season, leading the league in both road wins and points (17). RSL are unbeaten (4-0-2) in their last six road games, and 3-0-2 in their last five games overall.
The home success has been harder to find, as RSL has a modest 2-4-4 home record. That includes last Saturday’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Minnesota United, as Justen Glad equalized eight minutes into extra time.
“It was just massive that we got the result. … It’s nice to win on the road but it’s a special feeling when you win in front of your home fans and they get to share in that,” Glad said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Damir Kreilach, Danny Musovski, Pablo Ruiz, and Jefferson Savarino all share the RSL scoring lead, with four goals apiece.
–Field Level Media
