Toronto FC Vs Orlando City: The fear of losing looms
Toronto FC host Orlando City on Friday night with both teams in desperate need of a win to preserve their postseason hopes. The fear of losing certainly looms large.
It certainly wasn’t the start of the season that either Toronto FC or Orlando City would have been hoping for.
Collectively, they had amassed just four points in their first six collective MLS games — Orlando securing a point in a draw with Minnesota United; Toronto eeking out three in a win over Real Salt Lake.
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But those first few-week stumbles, there has only been one team looking to rise the standings, and it is not the one that most would have predicted before the season ever got underway.
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Since those first three matches, two of which were lost, Orlando proceeded to win six-straight, an equal-best record in the history of the organisation. They rose all the way to third in the packed Eastern Conference, and, despite last week’s tight loss to cream-of-the-crop Atlanta United, still sit in fourth position.
In contrast, Toronto, the team who many had anticipated would simply waltz their way back into contention after their CONCACAF Champions League exploits had ended, meaning that Greg Vanney could re-gear his resources back towards domestic duties, have lost their last two games and have won just one since the CCL final loss three weeks ago.
There is only one team that looks capable of challenging for MLS Cup at this rate.
Nevertheless, it is Toronto that are still considered the favoured option to win it all by the bookies. And it’s easy to see why. On paper, this is a generationally great team. But with injuries, fatigue, rotation and now suspensions hitting hard early on, form has been difficult to find. Thankfully, class, if not quite permanent, is a little more consistent.
That said, the Reds cannot afford to lose many more matches. They are already 12 points behind the New England Revolution, who currently sit in sixth position. Another loss at the weekend would dig quite a hole for even a team of Toronto’s quality to climb out of.
The two teams meet on Friday night. It is one of those horrible, must-not-lose ties for both teams. While Orlando are in the more comfortable position on the season, two losses in succession would be extremely detrimental to their mental state, especially considering both opponents are Eastern Conference rivals and they will have to overcome them one way or another in the playoffs if they are fortunate to get that far.
Toronto, meanwhile, need to get right, and fast. Sebastian Giovinco will be missing thanks to his moment of madness last week against the New England Revolution, Michael Bradley will still be attempting to play centre-half, and Vanney will be praying to everything that is holy that he can welcome back some of his injured stars.
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Toronto are still the favourites. Their performances last season dictated as much. But they need to get back to such form sharpish. Orlando will not be keen to help them. This is a crucial match-up for both teams, one in which a loss is extremely damaging to either. The fear looms large. Who can handle the pressure?