The Reds smashed through the early season eight-point target set by club President Bill Manning with a convincing 2-0 victory in Montreal last week. The derby-day performance took TFC to 11 points and has people talking them up as 2016 contenders.
In Sunday’s game at Providence Park (4:00 p.m. ET) coach Greg Vanney will have to tinker with the line-up that so successfully stymied the Impact’s early season form. A 4-4-2 diamond formation saw Jonathan Osorio flourish at the tip and another standout performance from captain Michael Bradley at the base. With Osorio not travelling to Portland after rolling an ankle in training this week, Vanney may move Marky Delgado further forward and draft in Danny Lovitz. Tsubasa Endosh and Mo Babouli are also options. Benoit Cheyrou remains sidelined.
The New England Revolution equalized late on to deny the Timbers (2-3-3) maximum points Wednesday night, with the Pacific Coasters enduring a stuttering start to their title defence. Only New York Red Bulls have conceded more goals to date than Caleb Porter’s side, while Toronto have the tightest backline across the league. The Reds limited a Didier Drogba-led Montreal team to just two shots on target at Stade Suputo and have given up just five goals in seven games.
Portland’s lineup has seen substantial variation in recent weeks, with suspensions, fresh injuries as well as key players returning from layoffs. Stopper Adam Kwarasey is still out but Darlington Nagbe returned to the side that drew with New England and Darren Mattocks recovered from concussion to make a substitute appearance. Club captain Liam Ridgewell is back in training but is uncertain for Sunday.
Will Johnson will return to Portland for the first time since the 29-year-old was traded to Toronto in December. The midfielder spent two years on the West Coast, scoring 15 goals.
Toronto came out 1-0 victors in the only match-up between the sides last year but lost 4-0 the last time they played at Providence Park way back in 2013. After the trip to Portland, Toronto begin a four-game home stand, welcoming MLS pacesetters FC Dallas to BMO Field on May 7.
Sidenote: Supporters of Toronto can be forgiven for treating the appointment of Baldomero Toledo to referee Sunday’s game with some trepidation after the official decided not to call a foul on Justin Morrow in the lead up to the Brad Davis’ winning goal for Sporting Kansas City when the sides met in March.
Projected Line-ups
Toronto: C.Irwin, D.Moor, D.Perquis, S.Beitashour, J.Morrow, M.Delgado, M.Bradley, W.Johnson, J.Osorio, S.Giovinco, J.Altidore
Portland Timbers: J.Gleeson, Z.Valetin, N.Borchers, J.Taylor, C.Klute, D.Chara, J.Jewsbury, L.Melano, D.Nagbe, F.Adi, J.McInerney
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Broadcast: ESPN, TSN2