Scott Ferguson takes a look at the political context of select World Cups:

1930 – The first World Cup only had 13 participants, but host side Uruguay used it as a chance to showcase themselves to continental Europe and it’s football teams. The reigning Olympic champions Uruguay won the inaugural tournament on home soil, proving themselves as worthy world champions.

1934 and 1938 – Just as Adolf Hitler adopted of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games as a celebration of his new regime, Italian ruler Benito Mussolini was able to spin Italy’s World Cup victories in 1934 and 1938 into a justification of his own Fascist reign. The 1934 triumph was on home soil while the 1938 side overcame opposition from Italian dissidents living in host nation France to bring home the trophy again just one year before full-scale war broke out.

1950 – The first post-war edition of the World Cup was meant to represent host country Brazil’s emergence on the world stage, announcing themselves as a developed nation in the post-World War II world order. Needing only a draw against Uruguay in the final round-robin match to secure the title, almost 200 000 packed the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro to see their heroes complete the mere formality of victory. Alcides Ghiggia scored the goal that gave Uruguay one of the great upsets in World Cup history, however, handing Uruguay their second title and casting a shadow over the Brazilian national identity that has not been recovered from. The Maracanaço, which sent nearly everyone amongst the 170 000+ in attendance into a stunned silence, has been described as the country’s own Hiroshima, a defining moment of tragedy that shaped future sporting generations. 8 years later, a teenage Pele gave Brazil their first of five world championships, but until Sunday’s final the Seleção are still the only country to have won the World Cup but failed to win it on home soil at least once. The pressure on the 2014 side to deliver the trophy at revamped Maracanã will be absolutely immense.

1954 – “The Miracle of Bern” saw West Germany upset the heavily favoured Hungary in Switzerland to win their first World Cup title. Hungary, unbeaten in 5 years, had swept all before them in the tournament build-up, but it was the war-ravaged West Germany that took home the Jules Rimet trophy and the political capital to go with it. Germans were no longer ashamed to be proud of their country again, with the national anthem played in public after the victory for the first time since the war.

1966 – England, inventors of the sport, had been humiliated in previous World Cup outings, famously losing to the United States 1-0 in 1950 at the first tournament that the English FA had deigned to enter. The 1966 edition was to represent the national team’s crowning glory, finally winning the trophy at the sport’s spiritual home at Wembley. The final against West Germany was all too perfect, then, with unpleasant memories of the war still fresh in the English collective memory. Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick in somewhat controversial circumstances was enough for a 4-2 extra-time victory and allowed Bobby Moore to collect the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II.

1978 – Argentina hosted the World Cup under a ruling military junta, the armed forces having seized power in a coup following the death of popular leader Juan Perón earlier in the decade. The ruling party seized on the publicity surrounding the home side’s victory, their first ever World Cup, with the players and media carried along for the ride. One victorious squad member later boasted how, with the junta leadership preparing the meet the players after the final, he put his hand in his shorts and collected as much sweat as possible before shaking the hands of the visiting leaders.

1986 – Argentina’s second World Cup title, this one in Mexico, came with the 1980s Falkland Islands war between Argentina and the United Kingdom still fresh in the memory. The eventual champions’ quarter-final victory over England was seen as a win-at-all-costs scenario, and Diego Maradona took it to heart with a famous goal that saw him run the length of the pitch with the ball glued to his feet – and an infamous punched goal he later dubbed the “Hand of God”. Maradona’s actions were seen as necessary back in Argentina, and England were left red-faced and eliminated.

1990 – West Germany had lost to Argentina in the final four years earlier, but Franz Beckenbauer’s side won the 1990 edition in Italy to become the most successful World Cup nation ever (a title eventually claimed by Brazil in 2002). This was West Germany’s last World Cup before national reunification, but with communism falling across eastern Europe, the country’s victory represented a triumph for all of Germany.

1998 – France hosted the last World Cup of the century amidst heavy criticism at home having failed to qualify for the previous tournament in 1994. Right wing politicians like Jean-Marie le Pen railed against the racially mixed group, blaming their problems on what he perceived as a lack of Frenchness. Aimé Jacquet was quietly confident in his side, led by an Algerian with a Basque left-back and players tracing their heritage to Africa, the Caribbean, Armenia and even French Polynesia. By the time of the final against Brazil, all Frenchmen, regardless of colour, had united behind the squad, and the home side’s 3-0 victory in Paris was a victory for multiculturalism.

2006 – Italian football had been rocked in 2006 with the Calciopoli scandal, one of the periodic highly publicized cleansings of corruption from the sport in the peninsula. Juventus contributed a number of players to the Azzurri but were set to play in Serie B in the coming season, while the Milan contingent were only a year off the humiliating 3-3 comeback defeat to Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final. Coach Marcello Lippi was able to foster a club-like atmosphere in the national team set-up, however, and the players seemed ready to die for each other in restoring the honour of their tarnished national game. The semifinal win over hosts Germany and shoot-out win over France in the final was redemption for the sport, putting Italy back at the top when their club sides had done everything to drag them down.

2010 – While from a political standpoint, the outcome of Sunday’s World Cup final will do little to alter the entire tournament’s legacy, the event itself has gone down as a celebration of African culture and a tribute to the organizing skills of the host nation. A tournament that was initially written off due to fears of crime and corruption has flourished, with the most talked-about problem not one of logistics but of vuvuzelas. A Spanish victory would cement their place as the greatest side in the world and finally shake off their reputation as choke artists on the big stage, silencing the critics who feel that club and regional divisions in the squad has kept them as perennial underachievers. For their part, a Dutch victory would finally put to rest the ghosts of the 1970s side that lost in two consecutive finals and launch a celebration in Johannesburg, a city that still bears the influence of early Dutch settlers. Like France in 1998, the Netherlands are currently witnessing the rise of anti-immigration political platforms, and a Dutch win on Sunday could have a powerful effect – the side’s captain is the ethnically Moluccan Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and the squad seems to be free from the racial divisions that hampered the great Dutch side of the 1990s. If van Bronckhorst manages to lift the trophy on Sunday, racial intolerance in his home country will not disappear overnight, but the Oranje will have proved a shining example of racial harmony to their countrymen.

Toronto boss Preki started with Julian de Guzman on the substitutes bench as he recovers from a hamstring strain, and with Sam Cronin having recently left for San Jose, Gambian youngster Amadou Sanyang started alongside Martin Saric in central midfield. It was the Galaxy’s Chris Birchall who had the best chance of the first half, however, firing high and wide from outside the area. The former Port Vale man was born in England but starred in Trinidad & Tobago’s World Cup 2006 qualifying campaign.

CONCACAF internationals such as Birchall have proved stars in MLS time after time, and Toronto’s own local lad-turned captain Dwayne De Rosario offered the Reds’ only real threat going forward as the game wore on. He had a number of long range drives, including one in each half that fizzed just past Jamaican international goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts’ far post.

De Guzman was joined by Gabe Gala as a second half substitute, but neither designated player nor Canadian youngster were able to make a serious impact on the game. Gala had a long range effort curl wide late on as LA seemed to settle for a point with Toronto offering little serious objection. For their part, the Galaxy were missing their own brand of Galacticos in David Beckham, Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan, with the latter two a part of the United States’ World Cup squad that fell to Ghana just hours earlier in South Africa.

Scattered attendance meant that Toronto’s vocal home support was noticeably subdued, while humidity in the first half gave way to rain in the second. The result ensures that both teams are still in with a shout at playoff contention, and while Toronto’s unbeaten home record stands, three consecutive 0-0 draws in all competitions at BMO Field have hardly inspired confidence from Toronto’s attack. The Reds will play the third of a four game home stand on Canada Day against Houston, with three points vital for Toronto to make the most of home comforts and stay in a playoff position.

With the club’s depth at midfield following head coach Preki’s arrival in the off-season, Cronin was always unlikely to match the 27 appearances he recorded in his rookie season. The Wake Forest product was the second overall draft pick in 2009 and scored one goal for the Reds last season. Cronin has two caps for the American national team but was not called up to the 2010 World Cup squad.

No one on the current roster was called up to the World Cup; the squad’s American contingent aren’t national team regulars while Stefan Frei may hope to break into Switzerland’s national team set-up in the future having been part of their youth international set-up. Looking through the 70+ players Toronto have fielded in their existence, however, yields more than one World Cup hopeful:

Maurice Edu – USA

As an expansion side, Toronto FC’s first draft pick in the 2007 MLS draft was always going to be crucial to their attempts to build a team. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chose California native Maurice Edu and were rewarded almost instantly from “the Franchise”, with his goal against Chicago Fire early in 2007 putting Toronto 3-1 up on their way to the team’s first ever win. A move to Europe was always going to be on the cards after a Rookie of the Year-winning performance in his debut season, and Scottish side Rangers came calling in 2008 to prise away Toronto’s talisman. Edu didn’t see the field during the US national team’s 1-1 draw with England, but impressed as a second-half substitute as the Stars and Stripes battled back from 2-0 down to pull level with Slovenia on Friday. Edu thought he had scored a late winner after turning in Landon Donovan’s free kick in the game’s dying stages, but the referee had prematurely – and controversially – blown his whistle as the set piece was being delivered. Edu may well have earned a starting spot in the crucial group C encounter with Algeria on Wednesday.

Andrew Boyens – New Zealand

One of the few bright spots on Toronto’s defence during the Reds’ misfiring 2007 season was Boyens, the New Zealand international who left the club early in 2008 to join New York. His heading was a threat at both ends of the field, and while he was hardly noted for his pace, the way the team fell apart in his absence during that inaugural season spoke volumes. He’ll look up to another product of MLS on the All-Whites’ back-line, fellow central defender Ryan Nelsen. Blackburn Rovers stopper Nelsen played for D.C. United for four seasons after graduating from Stanford in the United States. Boyens hasn’t played a minute of the Kiwis’ World Cup campaign as of yet, but merely being a part of the squad to have taken two historic points so far will prove a great experience for the NYRB defender.

Amado Guevara – Honduras (captain)

2004 Major League Soccer MVP Guevara was originally set to join Toronto FC in 2007, but the enigmatic playmaker, fresh from a falling-out with Chivas USA coach Preki, pulled out of the move and preferred to return to Honduras with Motagua instead. He eventually joined the Reds in 2008 and became a mainstay in attacking midfield, forming a potent partnership with De Rosario. Preki’s arrival on the Lakeshore never looked good for Guevara, who has since returned to Motagua – and incidentally will get his chance to play his old teammates in CONCACAF Champions League qualifying later this summer. The Honduras captain started both matches so far for his country in the World Cup, with the 34-year-old exiting the 1-0 loss to Chile after 66 minutes.

Edson Buddle – USA

American striker and Pele namesake Buddle had an all-too-brief spell with Toronto back in 2007, being traded to the club for expansion draft pick Tim Regan early in the Reds’ first season. Buddle provided the first ever Toronto FC assist for Danny Dichio’s goal in that 3-1 win over Chicago, but failed to find the net himself in ten appearances and left for Los Angeles in exchange for much-needed defensive cover in Tyrone Marshall. The Galaxy striker has thrived in LA and earned himself a spot on the US’ World Cup roster, coming off as a late substitute against England.

Danny Dichio – England
Dichio’s hat-trick against Algeria… only kidding. But could England really do worse with Dichio in place of Heskey up front?

While it would have been nice to see a member of Toronto’s squad at the World Cup, the presence of these World Cup-class internationals in the club’s history can only be a good thing. By 2014, the squad will want even more representatives – something that may depend on Canada qualifying.

The first half saw Chad Barrett notching his fifth of the season in the 31st minute when Stefan Frei placed a goal kick from the TFC end to the edge of the San Jose box. Jason Hernandez of San Jose made a poor attempt to head the ball back to Cannon his goalkeeper and Barrett was able to get the outside of his right foot onto the ball, resulting in first goal San Jose has surrendered at home since April 24. Barrett was also awarded a yellow card for his post goal celebration with the corner flag.

The play in the first half was not spectacular, but control of play was to the advantage of The Reds. San Jose Earthquakes did create opportunities in the 13, 23 and 35 minutes, but were unable to capitalize on these chances.

Both TFC and San Jose made changes at the half, with TFC bringing in De Rosario and de Guzman for O’Brian White and Martin Saric.

San Jose brought in Arturo Alvarez for Joey Gjertsen.

Early in the second half Stefan Frei confirmed why he is one of the best goal keepers in the league with a great save on Chris Wondolowski, resulting in a corner kick for San Jose. This proved to just the first of many missed opportunities for the Earthquake in the second half.

Dwayne De Rosario added to the TFC lead in the 66th minute by taking a long pass launched by Dan Gargan just inside the San Jose side of half and one touched it from the top of the box past Joe Cannon to make it 2-0 TFC. For De Rosario it was his 7th goal of the season which leads the eastern conference.

The two goal deficit seemed to create a sense of urgency for San Jose and for the remainder of the game they showed the pressure that they can put on opposing teams.

The lone San Jose goal came on a corner with Ramiro Corrales heading in a Bobby Convey cornerin the 76th minute. It appeared that Corrales and one other San Jose player were the only people on the pitch to go after the ball. This resulted in the Earthquake closing the gap with less than 15 minutes remaining in the match.

San Jose continued to put pressure on TFC for the remainder of the match and ended with 16 shots, 7 of those on goal, compared to TFC with 9 shots and 3 of those on goal.

In a half of play that saw no injuries, there was 3 minutes of stoppage time added and at 92 minutes Joe Cannon left his net to join in the San Jose attack on the Toronto goal.

This strategic decision was not successful and resulted in a clearing by Nick LaBrocca down the field to be captured by De Rosario to net his second of the game and finish the match at 3-1.

Next up for Toronto, a home match against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday June 2 at 8pm in the final match of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, followed by a visit by the Kansas City Wizards for a 4pm start on Saturday June 5.

Scoring Summary
TOR – Chad Barrett (unassisted) 31
TOR – Dwayne De Rosario (Dan Gargan) 66
SJ — Ramiro Corrales (Bobby Convey) 76
TOR — Dwayne De Rosario (Nick LaBrocca) 94+

Lineups:

Toronto FC
Stefan Frei
Dan Gargan
Nana Attakora
Adrian Cann
Nick Garcia
Jacob Peterson
Nick LaBrocca
Amadou Sanyang
Martin Saric (Julian de Guzman 46)
Chad Barrett (Sam Cronin 82)
O’Brian White (Dwayne De Rosario 46).
Substitutes Not Used: Gabe Gala, Raivis Hscanovics, Maksim Usanov, Jon Conway.

San Jose Earthquakes
Joe Cannon
Chris Leitch (Scott Sealy 77)
Bobby Burling
Jason Hernandez
Ramiro Corrales
Brandon McDonald
Bobby Convey
Ryan Johnson
Chris Wondolowski
Joey Gjertsen (Arturo Alvarez 46)
Brad Ring (Cornell Glen 59)
Substitutes Not Used: Ramon Sanchez, Ike Opara, Steven Beitashour, Jon Busch

Dwayne De Rosario and Julian de Guzman will be returning from international duty, while Nana Attakora and Maksim Usanov should be prepared to return to duty on the pitch.

The Reds (4-4-1) have yet to register a victory on the road during the current MLS campaign, but the return of a full bench and a full weeks rest after playing 8 games 27 days could give TFC a boost for this road match.

The Earthquake (5-2-1) have won their last 3 home dates after starting the season with a loss and draw at Buck Shaw Stadium. It is also impressive that the last time they allowed the opposing team to find the back of the net was April 24.

Saturday will see the return of TFCs Nick Garcia to the San Jose pitch, where he was the team captain before being shipped off to BMO field, but he will need to be in top form to neutralize the Earthquake’s Chris Wondolski, who has 5 goals in his last 6 games.

This match is expected to be a defensive struggle, with Preki’s defense first approach and San Jose’s ability to shut down opposing offense.

Toronto FC has just ended their stay at Bradenton, Fla., and has headed over to Orlando for the second portion of their preseason.

One of the major additions to the 2010 preseason is the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic. The tournament involves four major MLS sides including Toronto FC, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas, and New York Red Bulls taking place  at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

In a the semifinals of the tournament, the New York Red Bulls will talk on Houston Dynamo on February 25 at 6:00 p.m. ET and Toronto FC will take on FC Dallas at 8:30 p.m.  The losers of these matches will face off two days later on February 27 at 6:00 p.m. while the winners will face off at 8:30 p.m.

Notes:

- Toronto FC (1-0-2)  has had a dull and dry preseason this far managing to score two goals in three games but only conceding one goal. TFC has made a few changes this off season with the signings of Jacob Peterson and Ty Harden;  in addition to the draft picks and the trailists at hand.

- Houston Dynamo’s (3-0-0) scoring has not lacked this preseason and will be tested against MLS opposition. They made a few changes with the signing of former TFC player Kevin Harmse and a few trialists on board.

- FC Dallas (3-0-0) also did not fail to score this preseason with 4-0, and 7-1 wins and will be tested against MLS opposition in this  tournament. FC Dallas has a few trialists and many of their draft picks on board and will be looking forward to this tournament.

- The New York Red Bulls (3-0-1) have had a decent preseason under their new coach and it will be interesting to see how they will do against MLS opposition.  They have made a few new signings to add depth to the team.

These preseason record may not be accurate due to the minimum coverage available.

Tournament Predictions:

February 25th-
Houston vs. New York: Houston WIN with a score of 2-0
Toronto vs. Dallas: Toronto WIN with a score of 1-0

February 27th-
New York vs. Dallas: New York WIN with a score of 1-0
Toronto vs. Houston: Houston WIN with a score of 1-0

Share your thoughts on these predictions, comment below and give us feedback.

If Toronto continues to score as they have shown they are capable of doing, they will have a good chance of achieving a result. The Galaxy will also be aiming to get maximum points to keep possession of their solid spot in the Western Conference standings.

An entertaining match is expected, with Julian de Guzman possibly making his debut in Toronto’s midfield from where he will go toe-to-toe with David Beckham.

TFC keeper Stefan Frei won his fourth MLS Save of the Week honors for his performance at BMO against Colorado which guaranteed Toronto the three points. The rookie continues to impress with his great performances and will play a major role in TFC’s future.

Previous three MLS results for each team:

Los Angeles Galaxy (9-5-11):
vs. FC Dallas (Home)= 6-3 Loss
vs. Chivas USA (Home)= 1-0 Win
vs. D.C. United (Away)= 0-0 Draw

Toronto FC (9-9-7):
vs. Colorado Rapids (Home)= 3-2 Win
vs. Colorado Rapids (Away)= 1-0 Loss
vs. Seattle Sounders FC (Away)= 0-0 Draw

PREDICTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING GAME:

• Everyone is healthy to play with the exception of Carl Robinson. Adrian Serioux is questionable.
• Likely TFC starting line-up: GK: Stefan Frei. DF: Marvel Wynne, Nana Attakora, Nick Garcia,  Jim Brennan. MF: Dwayne De Rosario, Julian de Guzman, Amado Guevara, Sam Cronin . FW: Chad Barrett, Ali Gerba.
• The line-up could be slightly different depending on Chris Cummins’ tactical choices.
• ASN puts the chances of a TFC win at 40%, a draw at 30%, and a loss at 30%.
• Final score prediction: TFC WIN,  Toronto FC 2 – LA Galaxy 1

Colorado Win!
After the disappointment away from home, Toronto FC continued their lack of consistency but improved to top Colorado at BMO Field. TFC will need to take their scoring touch from that game and take it over when they head to face off against the LA Galaxy.

The starting line up saw a few changes due to some injury and tactical decisions.
Keeper: Stefan Frei.
Defenders: Marvell Wynne, Nana Attakora, Nick Garcia,  Jim Brennan.
Midfielders: Dwayne De Rosario, Sam Cronin, Amado Guevara, Pablo Vitti.
Forwards: Chad Barrett, Ali Gerba.

Both teams exchanged chances and possession in an entertaining encounter. A beautiful strike from DeRosario kick-started TFC’s domination, with its other goals coming from O’Brian White and Nana Attakora.

An explanation for Toronto’s inconsistency is still amiss, but their winning ways need to continue for them to advance to the play-offs.

TFC will head to face off against LA Galaxy and then stay on the road to face off against the Chicago Fire.

Ratings for players from 1 (low) to 10 (high), ranked by position:

Toronto FC
Stefan Frei: 8.5
May have been at fault with one of the goals scored, yet he made up for it with other game deciding saves.

Marvel Wynne: 7
Did well moving back to a defensive position; no visible mistakes

Nana Attakora: 8.5
His consistency continued; a well deserved goal to add on to his honors this year.

Nick Garcia: 7
A good game by him as he takes over from Serioux.

Jim Brennan: 7.5
Did well to contribute to the team offensively and defensively.

Amado Guevara: 7
Did well to come in after international duty in replacement for Robinson to play the full 90.

Pablo Vitti: 7
Did well throughout the game, could possibly do more for the team.

Sam Cronin: 7
Did well with no notable errors.

Dwayne De Rosario:8
Had a decent game added his spark to kick start TFC’s goals.

Chad Barrett: 7
Did well throughout and almost went the full ninety but started to cramp up in the dying minutes.

Ali Gerba: 7
A decent game was unable to break his drought.

Subs Used:
Lesly Fellinga: 7
Came on for Vitti, did very well coming in for his debut.

O’Brian White: 8
Came on for Gerba, and did very well to create an immediate impact by scoring a beautiful goal.

Emmanuel Gomez: N/A
Came on for Barrett but was on for a very short time.

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Nana Attakora wins again!

Nana Attakora won his second TFC player of the month award  following his great and consistent performances in August.

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White wins MLS Goal of the Week!

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Stefan Frei wins save of the week; yet again!
Stefan Frei’s great save against Colarodo has been voted Week 26’s MLS Save of the Week. This is his fourth win this season and third one in 3 consecutive weeks . The rookie continues to prove his worth and getting himself noticed to improve his chances of winning the rookie of the year award. This save has been one of the many great saves he has made throughout this season.

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Julian de Guzman Update!
Julian de Guzman will officially be available for selection for TFC’s game against the LA Galaxy. After signing and finalizing his papers he available to play and will possibly make the start.

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Colorado Loss!
After their great performance against Seattle, Toronto FC continued their lack consistency and had a disappointing game in Colorado. TFC will need to put the game behind them in order to be able to perform at home when they face them once again.

The starting line up was left unchanged with the exception of Amado Guevera’s absence and Pablo Vitti taking over the position.
Keeper: Stefan Frei.
Defenders: Nana Attakora, Emmanuel Gomez, Nick Garcia,  Jim Brennan.
Midfielders: Sam Cronin, Amado Sanyang, Pablo Vitti, Marvel Wynne.
Forwards: Dwayne De Rosario, Chad Barrett.

The game was very dull and lacking entertainment, the first half ended with the scores even at 0-0. TFC gave away a penalty in that half but were lucky to see it bounce off the cross-bar.  The second half continued with the same tone, but a defensive error saw Conor Casey score the game winning goal for Colorado with a beautiful header. Frustration and clumsy play saw two TFC players ejected from the match, those being Amadou Sanyang and Adrian Serioux.

The explanation on Toronto’s disappointing performance can not be found as the players and the coaching staff were left speechless after the game.

TFC head home for the following  match to face off against Colorado once again before they get back on the road  to face off against LA Galaxy.

Ratings for players from 1 (low) to 10 (high), ranked by position:

Toronto FC
Stefan Frei: 7
He did great to keep the clean sheet for as long as possible, making great saves throughout.

Nana Attakora: 7.5
His consistency stands out and may be rewarded as he is up for the TFC player of the month award.

Nick Garcia: 6
A good game by him but took a knock that saw him be taken off at half time.

Emmanuel Gomez: 6
Stayed solid, had fewer mistakes than usual but gave the penalty in the first half with his hand ball. He will be glad to have seen the penalty missed.

Jim Brennan: 6
Did well to contribute defensively for the team and a little offensively as well

Marvel Wynne: 6
Did well in his new position as a midfielder, he contributed both defensively and offensively.

Amadou Sanyang: 5
Did well defensively, but his aggression may have been unnecessary at times which earned him both yellows and the ejection.

Pablo Vitti: 5
Did well but his spark was not visible.

Sam Cronin: 5
Did well but was not notable for any errors or contribution.

Dwayne De Rosario: 6
Had a decent game but was not able to break the Colorado defense.

Chad Barrett: 5
The opportunities were not there for him this game.

Subs Used:
Adrian Serioux: 5
Came on  Nick Garcia, could be the one to blame for the goal, and a very unnecessary red card to see him ejected.

Ali Gerba: 5
Came on for Gomez, but did little to impact in the game.

Danny Dicho: 5
Came on for Vitti but was unable to make an impact

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Dichio Retirement!

Following discussions with TFC and his agent in Colorado, Danny Dichio announced his retirement Wednesday. Apparently discussions began two weeks ago, as Dichio was not getting much playing time and knew his career was coming to an end sooner than expected. He will be happy to continue his involvement with TFC as the club’s ambassador and youth academy coach.

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Stefan Frei wins save of the week; again!
Stefan Frei’s great save against Colarodo has been voted Week 25’s MLS Save of the Week. This is his third win this season and fourth for TFC. The rookie has proven to be a talented keeper with the many great saves he has made throughout this season.

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TFC sign a designated player!
On Friday,TFC announced the signing of Julian de Guzman as their designated player. It is believed that he will play till the end of the 2012 MLS season. He will wear the number 6 jersey that briefly belonged to Nick Garcia. Garcia will now take over the number 4 shirt. Julian de Guzman will be available for selection for TFC’s home game against Colorado.