Frings’ goal gives Toronto FC 2-2 tie with Orlando City at Disney Classic
Posted February 25, 2012 8:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Torsten Frings scored in the 63rd minute while goalkeeper Stefan Frei made two big late saves as Toronto FC came back twice for a 2-2 tie with USL club Orlando City at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic pre-season tournament Saturday night.
Frings jumped on a ball in a scramble in front of the Orlando goal and slipped a shot past goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo as TFC earned a point in its opening match of the eight-team tournament.
Defender Migeul Aceval scored in the first half for Toronto.
John Rooney, brother of Manchester United Star Wayne Rooney, scored on a penalty in the 17th minute and Kevin Molino gave Orlando City a second lead in the 54th.
It was only Toronto’s second exhibition game since training camp opened, after a 5-1 win over the University of South Florida. A lack of cohesion was evident, particularly on defence, as the Toronto side faced a charged-up Orlando, where there is a movement to get an MLS franchise.
A crowd of about 2,000 pounded drums and cheered on the purple-clad locals, who had the better scoring chances in the second half.
TFC lost to Orlando in the third-place game at the tournament last year.
Orlando was awarded a penalty in the 17th minute when defender Geovanny Caicedo tripped forward Maxwell Griffin in the area. Rooney made no mistake with his low blast.
TFC tied it six minutes later when Aceval’s free kick ticked off the last man on the Orlando wall and went in.
Charlie Campbell looked well offside as he took a ball over the middle and got it to Molino on the right side for a 2-1 Orlando lead.
Dennis Chin was in alone in the 71st minute, but Frei made the perfect slide to grab the ball away from the Orlando striker. More sloppy defence forced Frei make another sliding save on Chin only seven minutes later.
Toronto striker Danny Koevermans was replaced for what the team said was a precaution early in the first half by Nick Soolsma.
Orlando City was the champion of the second-tier USL last season.
Toronto will play Swedish club BK Hacken on Tuesday and closes round-robin play Thursday against Dallas, its first MLS opponent of the tournament. The final and consolation games are March 3.
Toronto midfielder Julian de Guzman left camp Saturday to join the Canadian national team in Cyprus for a friendly against Armenia on Wednesday.
The Vancouver Whitecaps look for their second win Sunday afternoon against the Houston Dynamo while the expansion Montreal Impact seeks its first win against Sporting Kansas City. Vancouver opened with a 3-0 win over Montreal on Friday while Houston and Kansas City tied 0-0.
