Toronto F.C. Extends Winning Streak
Posted May 21, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Danny Dichio was a one-man wrecking crew for Toronto FC Wednesday night.
The fan favourite scored the game’s lone goal, blocked a key shot and even engaged in a little skirmish as surging Toronto FC (4-2-2) extended its unbeaten streak to six games with a 1-0 win over D.C. United (2-7-0) in the opener of a Major League Soccer home-and-home series.
A six-foot-three forward who plays a nasty, physical game, Dichio scored in the seventh minute and then got back to the crease to send a point-blank shot from Brazilian-born Fred high and wide in the second half.
What’s more, Dichio, 33, and D.C. defender Devon McTavish had a shoving match and ended up face-to-face late in the game, delighting the crowd of 19,791 on a damp, crisp evening at BMO Field.
“I thought (Dichio) was outstanding to be quite honest,” said Toronto head coach John Carver, whose team is 4-0-2 since losing 4-1 to D.C. in United’s home opener on April 5. ” It shows you that even if you are getting on in the game, you can still work hard and get your just rewards and I thought he got that (Wednesday).”
Dichio, bothered by a groin injury recently, found the net after McTavish failed to get much of his foot on a poor back pass. With United goalie Zach Wells out of position and sprawled on the ground, Dichio tipped it home ever-so-slowly despite being hauled down by McTavish. It was the English-born forward’s second goal of the year.
“I think half the stadium blew it in, it went in so slow,” Dichio said. “The defender didn’t manage to get a pass back on it, which I think he wanted to do. I just managed to capitalize on it and kind of get my toe to it and beat the keeper. It took an eternity to go in.”
Dichio’s block preserved a win that gave Toronto a 3-0-2 record on its five-game homestand.
The big defensive play came in the 64th minute after Toronto goalie Greg Sutton got right in front of Fred to block a header from in close after a wonderful cross from Marcello Gallardo. The rebounded ended up back at Fred’s foot, but Dichio was there to send the ball out of harm’s way.
“I just tried to get my long body in the way and, fortunately, I got a block on it and it went out for the corner,” Dichio said. ” I was overjoyed with that, probably nearly as much as the goal.”
That was D.C.’s best chance on a night when there were not many good scoring opportunities.
Toronto is unbeaten in its past seven home games, a streak that dates back to last September for the second-year franchise.
It was Toronto’s first win against D.C. in five attempts. The teams meet again Saturday at RFK Stadium.
While Toronto has just two goals in its past three games, its defence has tightened up. Sutton has four shutouts in his past five games.
“We’re just more organized, we know our tendencies, weaknesses and strengths,” Sutton said. “Positioning on the field is something we needed to improve on and we did that.”
Overall, Carver wasn’t entirely satisfied with the effort, noting some bad passes and misplayed balls that resulted in increased possession for D.C. But he was stressing the positives in the aftermath of the victory.
“As a team, we weren’t on fire,” Carver said. “We didn’t pass the ball as well as we have to. But I’ll tell you what we showed courage, commitment and endeavour. That’s why we came out with the result.”
