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    Guest

    In Inexperienced Hands

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Deputizing in net will be either Quillan Roberts or Alex Bono, who took over the gloves on Saturday in Florida and was helpless as Kaka’s injury time penalty sent TFC home empty handed. Irwin has played every game to date in his debut season in Toronto since making the move from Colorado Rapids.
    Toronto will also be without club captain Michael Bradley, who has returned from U.S. national team duty at the Copa America with an apparent leg injury.
    The Reds haven’t tasted success in the tournament since 2012 while Vancouver will seek to retain the silverwear they won last season.
    Sebastian Giovinco scored the solidarity goal in the first leg at BMO Field last week, when Toronto bossed the midfield, Benoit Cheyrou with another standout performance.
    The Whitecaps, 7-7-3 in MLS, secured an impressive 3-2 road victory against the Eastern Conference pacesetters Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
    However, the big news out of Vancouver is that Octavio Rivero’s appearance at BMO was his last in a Whitecaps uniform. The DP striker is on the move to Colo-Colo in Chile. Erik Hurtado replaced him at the point of the attack against Philadelphia and midfielders Kekuta Manneh and Christian Bolaños stepped up with a goal apiece.
    TFC’s Josh Williams is eligible for cup play despite being sent off late for protesting the award of the late Orlando penalty on Saturday but Eriq Zavaleta may come back in to partner Drew Moor in a backline that will seek to limit pressure on their rookie goalie.
    The Voyageurs Cup winner is awarded Canada's lone spot in CONCACAF Champions League.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: A.Bono, N.Hagglund, E.Zavaleta, D.Moor, J.Morrow B.Cheyrou, W.Johnson, J.Osorio, S.Giovinco, M.Babouli, J.Hamilton
    Vancouver: D.Ousted, J.Smith, A.Jacobson, T.Parker, J.Harvey, P.Morales, M.Laba, N.Mezquida, C.Bolanos, K.Manneh, E.Hurtado
    Broadcast: TSN, TSN 1410
    Guest
    TFC overcame the Montreal Impact over two impressive legs in the semifinals to secure their final birth while the Whitecaps needed a 3-0 reverse at home to the Ottawa Fury to advance 3-2 on aggregate.
    Toronto, 5-5-4 in MLS play, go into the game on the back of a gutsy 1-0 victory at home to L.A. Galaxy on Saturday night. A Drew Moor header late in the second half saw of the Californian challengers and snapped a four-game winless streak in the league for Greg Vanney’s men.
    TFC are still without captain Michael Bradley, with the U.S. national team set to take on Argentina in the semi-finals of the Copa America, also on Tuesday. Benoit Cheyrou has stepped up in the American’s absence and anchored the side in what was an offence heavy line-up against Los Angeles.
    Tsubasa Endoh made his first start in a month against the Galaxy, to mixed reviews. Jordan Hamilton, fresh off his full MLS debut, will most likely partner Sebastian Giovinco in attack.
    Expect Will Johnson to come back to the starting selection, alongside Cheyrou or on the left in a diamond. While Moor and Eriq Zavaleta combined for the winner at BMO Field on Saturday, the short turnaround may see Vanney rotate at the back, something he has shown a willingness to do in recent weeks. Toronto have four games in the next 12 days, including a roadtrip to Orlando, sandwiched between the Vancouver games.
    Vancouver fell to defeat at home to the New England Revolution on Saturday. Nicolas Mezquida’s magic from the dead ball and a solid performance couldn’t make up for wastefulness in front of goal.
    Octavio Rivero and Pedro Morales are both available for selection, after serving one-match suspensions against the Revs.
    Defender Kendall Waston, who has just returned from Copa America duty with Costa Rica, is eligible for cup play, as the two-game suspension he received following the red card for violent conduct against the Portland Timbers only applies in MLS.
    Just over one month ago, the Whitecaps prevailed in a 4-3 thriller at BMO Field. The second leg of the final will be played in Vancouver on June 29. The Voyageurs Cup winner is awarded Canada's lone spot in CONCACAF Champions League.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: C.Irwin, A.Morgan, J.Williams, D.Perquis, S.Beitashour, B.Cheyrou, W.Johnson, J.Osorio, S.Giovinco, M.Babouli, J.Hamilton
    Vancouver: D.Ousted, J.Smith, A.Jacobson, T.Parker, J.Harvey, P.Morales, M.Laba, N.Mezquida, C.Techera, O.Rivero, K.Manneh,
    Broadcast: TSN1, TSN4, TSN 1410
    Guest

    A few stars short of a galaxy

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    After a strong start to the season, Los Angeles have slipped up in recent weeks, securing only three points from the last four games. Their last victory came at home to New England Revolution on May 8.
    With the United States extending their run in the 100th edition of the Copa to the quarter finals, TFC will once again be without their talismanic captain Michael Bradley. Even if the U.S. go out on Thursday against Ecuador, the earliest Bradley could be back in contention is for next week’s Voyagers Cup final.
    Will Johnson partnered Benoit Cheyrou against Montreal last week in a 4-2-3-1 formation coach Greg Vanney is likely to persist with.
    Sebastian Giovinco will come in for Jordan Hamilton up top and Tsubasa Endoh may return to the line-up after suffering a few niggling injuries.
    The Voyageurs Cup proved a welcome distraction for TFC following a slump in performances in regular league play. Since sliding to a 3-0 defeat at New York Red Bulls on May 28, the Reds have overcome Montreal Impact over two legs in the Canadian Championship, securing a spot in the final, where they will face Vancouver Whitecaps.
    The loss in New York was a second straight shutout in attack for Toronto, who currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with 16 points. Giovinco will look to get back on the scoresheet. The Italian hasn’t found the back of the net in just over a month.
    Meanwhile, the Galaxy have the most prolific offence in MLS so far this season with 27 goals, almost twice that of Toronto (14).
    TFC’s last home win vs. the Galaxy came in 2008. L.A. are undefeated against Toronto in 10 games.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: C.Irwin, J.Morrow, D.Moor, D.Perquis, S.Beitashour, B.Cheyrou, W.Johnson, J.Osorio, , D.Lovitz S.Giovinco, M.Babouli
    Los Angeles: B.Rowe, J.Van Damme, D.Steres, R.Rodgers, A.Cole, N.de Jong, M.Magee, S.Gerrard, G.dos Santos, S.Lletget, E.Boateng.
    Referee: Ricardo Salazar
    Broadcast: SN 360
    Guest
    Missing Michael Bradley, Will Johnson and the injured Giovinco, Greg Vanney opted for young, homegrown talent with an average age of under 25. TFC academy products produced the attacking flair and registered all four goals and three of the assists.
    Local boys Jonathan Osorio and Jordan Hamilton were the stars on the night, both scoring twice. Hamilton’s particularly pretty pair were his first competitive goals in Toronto colours. Ashtone Morgan, who took the captain’s armband when the impressive Benoit Cheyrou was subbed off, also had a strong game down the left side.
    Johnson has returned from international duty with Canada, albeit with hip flexor soreness, and may feature at Saputo Stadium. Forward Tsubasa Endoh has also been cleared to play.
    Late goals from Michael Salazar and Drogba in Toronto mean the second leg will be hotly contested but TFC’s 2-0 road win against their rivals earlier this season will give them cause for confidence.
    The Impact will be without captain Patrice Bernier, following his sending off for a two-footed challenge on Danny Lovitz at BMO. Coach Mauro Biello will also be unable to rely on the services of Argentine Nacho Piatti, who underwent hand surgery last week and will miss three weeks.
    In better news for the Quebec side, defenders Ambroise Oyongo and Víctor Cabrera are both re-available for selection.
    The Voyageurs Cup has proven a welcome distraction for TFC following a slump in performances in MLS play. Toronto don’t return to league action until June 18, when they host the Los Angeles Galaxy. If the Reds see off Montreal this Wednesday they will face either Vancouver Whitecaps or Ottawa Fury, who are hoping to make their first appearance in the final of the Canadian competition.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: C.Irwin, E.Zavaleta, N.Hagglund, A.Morgan, S.Beitashour, D.Lovitz, W.Johnson, J.Osorio, S.Giovinco, M.Babouli, J.Hamilton
    Montreal: E.Kronberg, K.Fisher, A.Oyongo, V.Cabrera, H.Camara, H.Shipp, K.Bekker, M.Salazar, L.Ontivero, D.Oduro, D.Drogba
    Broadcast: TSN
    Guest
    Name: Marcel De Jong
    Position: Midfield
    Birthplace: Newmarket, Ontario
    Club Team: Ottawa Fury FC
    National Team Appearances: 45
    You started to play with the Canadian National Team on the U-17 squad. How did you decide to play for Canada?
    Well, it’s a funny story. When I played at PSV [in the youth system], I also played on the Dutch Team’s under-11, under-12, 13, 14. Then at one point my mom actually called or sent an email to the Canadian Federation saying “There’s this guy who plays in Holland, and he has a Canadian passport.” I never knew about it, she told me about this a couple of years later. So she sent an email and they responded and they did their homework and checked me out. And Stephen Hart, at that time he was the under-17 coach, he flew over to Holland and watched me play a game at PSV and had dinner at our house. And we just met and it was pretty cool! And so ever since I started playing for Canada. But when I was 20, I also got an invitation for the Holland under-21s. So I was like, “What am I going to do?” I played there for a couple of games and tried it out. But before you’re 21 you have to make a choice between Holland or Canada, and in my mind I was just like “ah, let’s go for Canada.”
    Just like that!
    Yeah, my first cap with Canada was in a stadium in Mexico, Guadalajara, I was like “Wow! Where am I? It’s unbelievable!” I was a 16 year old guy and I was like “Yeah, I like this!” There’s always nice trips and nice people. I always have fun going with the National Team.
    During the time you’ve been in the system, what changes have you noticed?
    Well, there’ve been a couple of new coaches, different coaches. When I started, I was one of the young guys and now I’m one of the older ones and a little bit more experienced. We’re going in a whole new direction with Benito, very different than Stephen Hart. And it’s become a lot more professional now in the last couple of years even with the medical staff and the management. It’s been a good step in the right direction. If you look at our game in Vancouver against Mexico and Honduras, all of those fans, it’s been amazing! It was intense and it’s growing in every aspect. The soccer and the management, the fans, everything is growing. It’s really good.
    What do you think of the new players now coming in vs when you started?
    I like the new players, I don’t know if the old players liked me when I came in *laughs*…but I like what I see for the future. These guys have some good talent. You can even see with the couple of players who finally made the decision to play for Canada, Junior Hoillett and Scott Arfield, that shows that it’s getting bigger.
    What do you think is the team’s biggest strength?
    I think the work ethic collectively. Benito makes sure our defensive shape is in tact to be tough to beat and I think we showed everybody, except that Mexico game of course, I think we showed all the other teams that we played in the last couple of months that we’re just a tough team to beat and that’s one of our strengths I think.
    You’re in the middle of World Cup Qualifiers right now. What are your expectations for this WC?
    Obviously we’re in a good spot now. We have a tough game in Honduras. If we can get a result there, it’s just one of those matches, if we get a good result we can go to the World Cup. I’m pretty sure. I mean that’s going to be one of the biggest games. I’m pretty sure if we win this or tie it, if we don’t lose then I think we’ll go to the World Cup.
    If there were a Canadian League, would you consider playing in an all Canadian League?
    Yes. Yeah, of course, definitely. I think it’s also huge for Canada. Also politically, if we ever want to host a big tournament we need our own league. I think it’s also good for my experience as well. If you want to live in Canada, maybe I can be a head coach somewhere, like, I don’t know, Saskatchewan United or something, it would be an option. You know play in the league for a couple of years and then work in a club somewhere. I’ve just heard the rumours, but what I’ve heard is that it’s going to happen in the next year or years, which is good I think.
    Guest
    Interview By: Kendra Lee
    Name: Marcel De Jong
    Position: Midfield
    Birthplace: Newmarket, Ontario
    Club Team: Ottawa Fury FC
    National Team Appearances: 45
    You started to play with the Canadian National Team on the U-17 squad. How did you decide to play for Canada?
    Well, it’s a funny story. When I played at PSV [in the youth system], I also played on the Dutch Team’s under-11, under-12, 13, 14. Then at one point my mom actually called or sent an email to the Canadian Federation saying “There’s this guy who plays in Holland, and he has a Canadian passport.” I never knew about it, she told me about this a couple of years later. So she sent an email and they responded and they did their homework and checked me out. And Stephen Hart, at that time he was the under-17 coach, he flew over to Holland and watched me play a game at PSV and had dinner at our house. And we just met and it was pretty cool! And so ever since I started playing for Canada. But when I was 20, I also got an invitation for the Holland under-21s. So I was like, “What am I going to do?” I played there for a couple of games and tried it out. But before you’re 21 you have to make a choice between Holland or Canada, and in my mind I was just like “ah, let’s go for Canada.”
    Just like that!
    Yeah, my first cap with Canada was in a stadium in Mexico, Guadalajara, I was like “Wow! Where am I? It’s unbelievable!” I was a 16 year old guy and I was like “Yeah, I like this!” There’s always nice trips and nice people. I always have fun going with the National Team.
    During the time you’ve been in the system, what changes have you noticed?
    Well, there’ve been a couple of new coaches, different coaches. When I started, I was one of the young guys and now I’m one of the older ones and a little bit more experienced. We’re going in a whole new direction with Benito, very different than Stephen Hart. And it’s become a lot more professional now in the last couple of years even with the medical staff and the management. It’s been a good step in the right direction. If you look at our game in Vancouver against Mexico and Honduras, all of those fans, it’s been amazing! It was intense and it’s growing in every aspect. The soccer and the management, the fans, everything is growing. It’s really good.
    What do you think of the new players now coming in vs when you started?
    I like the new players, I don’t know if the old players liked me when I came in *laughs*…but I like what I see for the future. These guys have some good talent. You can even see with the couple of players who finally made the decision to play for Canada, Junior Hoillett and Scott Arfield, that shows that it’s getting bigger.
    What do you think is the team’s biggest strength?
    I think the work ethic collectively. Benito makes sure our defensive shape is in tact to be tough to beat and I think we showed everybody, except that Mexico game of course, I think we showed all the other teams that we played in the last couple of months that we’re just a tough team to beat and that’s one of our strengths I think.
    You’re in the middle of World Cup Qualifiers right now. What are your expectations for this WC?
    Obviously we’re in a good spot now. We have a tough game in Honduras. If we can get a result there, it’s just one of those matches, if we get a good result we can go to the World Cup. I’m pretty sure. I mean that’s going to be one of the biggest games. I’m pretty sure if we win this or tie it, if we don’t lose then I think we’ll go to the World Cup.
    If there were a Canadian League, would you consider playing in an all Canadian League?
    Yes. Yeah, of course, definitely. I think it’s also huge for Canada. Also politically, if we ever want to host a big tournament we need our own league. I think it’s also good for my experience as well. If you want to live in Canada, maybe I can be a head coach somewhere, like, I don’t know, Saskatchewan United or something, it would be an option. You know play in the league for a couple of years and then work in a club somewhere. I’ve just heard the rumours, but what I’ve heard is that it’s going to happen in the next year or years, which is good I think.
    Michael Mccoll
    McKendry underwent surgery for a meniscal tear of his left knee in August. The recovery took a little longer than hoped and the 23-year-old was still rehabbing when the 'Caps preseason camp got underway in January and didn't make his first USL appearance of the season until week two, when he came on as a late second half sub in Portland.
    But after a lot of hard work and patience, McKendry is back to his best and keen to make an impact in Wednesday's match with the Fury.
    "The first thing that comes to mind is that it's an opportunity for me to showcase myself," McKendry told AFTN. "I've developed a lot, even over the time when I was injured, I was watching, studying the first team games and trying to get better, even though I was not playing. Now, I'm looking forward to being involved and getting some opportunities."
    McKendry has looked excellent for WFC2 so far this season, scoring two goals in his six appearances to date, both of them cracking strikes. A lot of players take a little bit of time to readjust to the game when they come back from a long term injury, but McKendry has looked to be even sharper and hungrier than he was before. He looks to have moved up another level and more than ready for MLS minutes.
    "I think I've just matured a little bit," McKendry told us. "That's been the biggest thing. Last season I think I was a little bit, maybe, overly anxious at times. Now, it's clear to me what I bring to this club and where I can be successful from the midfield position."
    Robinson has long been an admirer of the Residency alumni. That was what triggered his desire to get McKendry to come out of college a year early and sign a MLS deal. He's previously told us that he fully believes that the midfielder has what it takes to become a MLS staple for the club in years to come, something which his USL coach, Alan Koch, also has no doubts about.
    "We haven't seen Ben as much as we would have liked," Koch told AFTN after Sunday's draw with Real Monarchs. "He's still been struggling to get through a couple of knocks, then going away with the national team. I thought today he was very, very industrious. He was wanting to get on the ball, he brought a lot of energy to the field. He was one of our best players through the 60 minutes that he played, which is great.
    "We continue to see him improve and the more performances that he puts in like today, the more questions he'll ask of Robbo and hopefully get a chance in the first team at some stage."

    McKendry's recent performances have also seen him back in the Canadian fold for the first time in over two years.
    Having previously worn the red and white of Canada at U18 and U20 level, McKendry hasn't been involved with the national team program since being part of the U20 team that took part in the CONCACAF U20 Championship in Mexico in February 2013. He scored a goal in the 5-1 win over Nicaragua in his only appearance in that tournament.
    U23 coach Michael Findlay included McKendry in Canada's recent Caribbean tour, with the midfielder scoring in the 3-0 win over Grenada, with a similar goal to his strike against Real Monarchs on Sunday. And overall he found it an enjoyable experience to be back with the national team program.
    "It was great," McKendry said of the experience. "It was good to be in with the national team. The coaching staff were great and the other players were great as well. I guess we have to get used to travelling all over the place. We were in Guyana, which was an interesting experience, then we had to go to Grenada. Getting used to the travel, with being in CONCACAF, is important."
    Experience is all part of McKendry's growth and going through a long term injury like he did last year has certainly given him a new perspective on things.
    It's also an experience he can draw on to help others, including his room-mate Christian Dean, who agonisingly suffered a knee injury last week in training, just days after returning from a foot injury that had seen the centre back miss out on the year so far.
    It's heartbreaking for Dean, who is one of the most genuine and nicest players you'll find on the 'Caps rosters, but McKendry has been there for him at this difficult time and he feels his room-mate will come back hungrier and stronger like he did.
    "Yeah, I talked about it a little bit with him," McKendry told us. "A similar injury I think. He got a little bit on the knee. You've just got to stay focused and do what you can to get back as soon as possible. Ice, rest. He'll be back stronger."
    McKendry's eyes right now are fully focussed on the next two Canadian Championship games with Ottawa and making a case for his first MLS minutes soon.
    That MLS playing time is his key goal, and will remain so, but right now, he's also thoroughly enjoying being part of the exciting and unbeaten USL side. That's been helping take his game to that other level, with confidence abounding around the team.
    "I think the difference is we go into every single game expecting three points," McKendry admitted. "Whether on the road or at home here, we expect three points and nothing less. We're disappointed with a draw. They're confident.
    "The young guys are incredible - Kadin [Chung]. Tommy [Gardner], Alphonso [Davies]. Kyle [Greig] has been a great acquisition. He's banging in goals. It's a great group to be a part of."
    Michael Mccoll
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    Guest

    Italian loss – Toronto gain

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Giovinco was diplomatic in his response to being left out and after going scoreless in two games will be keen to get back in the goals in Harrison.
    Toronto’s four-game homestand (1-1-2) was a disappointment after going 3-3-2 on the road to start the season. One of those away trips was to Red Bull Arena on opening day when a Giovinco penalty and a late goal from Marky Delgado gave TFC all three points.
    For the second meeting of the season, Delgado will be in prime consideration to come back into the starting lineup in Bradley’s absence. Benoit Cheyrou is back in training this week and coach Greg Vanney said he will a factor this weekend.
    The smart money would be on Will Johnson playing the holding role with Delgado and Jonathan Osorio supporting. Vanney started with a 3-5-2 formation against Columbus and may be tempted to pack the midfield again and frustrate the in-form New York attack as the Reds did so successfully in March.
    The resurgent Red Bulls (5-7-1) come into the game on the back of a record-setting 7-0 victory in the Hudson River derby. The win against NYCFC equaled an MLS record for largest margin of victory, set by Chicago Fire in 2001 against the Kansas City Wizards, now SKC.
    Jesse Marsch’s side have won two straight since being blanked in a 2-0 loss to D.C. United. The New Yorkers have 16 goals in their last six games, two more than TFC’s total for the season to date.
    After Saturday’s game, TFC won’t play an MLS fixture until June 18, as the league takes a two week break and the Reds play back-to-back Canadian Championship games against Montreal.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: C.Irwin, E.Zavaleta, J.Williams, D.Moor, S.Beitashour, J.Morrow, M.Delgado, W.Johnson, J.Osorio, S.Giovinco, M.Babouli
    New York Red Bulls: L.Robles, C.Lade, A.Collin, C.Duvall, S.Zizzo, D.McCarty, Felipe, M.Grella, S.Kljestan, L.Sam, B.Wright-Phillips
    Referee: Allen Chapman
    Broadcast: Sportsnet 360
    Guest

    This one’s personal

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Will Johnson’s equalizer against New York, on a Josh William’s pullback, was the first goal of TFC’s season that didn’t include Giovinco in an assisting or scoring capacity, at the 14th time of asking.
    Coach Greg Vanney may leave his other midweek debutant Jay Chapman on the bench for this one and go with Danny Lovitz, who has seen limited minutes since the early part of the season.
    Vanney rotated Damien Perquis for Williams on Wednesday night but expect the Frenchman to come back in. Williams spent four years in Columbus and would be disappointed to miss the meeting with his old crew.
    Gregg Berhalter’s side have struggled to rediscover the form that took them all the way to last year’s showpiece and sit second from bottom in the Eastern Conference. Fortunately, the East appears wide open. Accounting for points-per-game, there is very little to separate any of the sides at this point, aside from the sliding Chicago Fire.
    In the 1-1 tie with Colorado Rapids on May 14, Ola Kamara started for the time this season, replacing the departed Kei Kamara (no relation). The Norwegian international will go looking for his first goal in Crew colours at BMO Field. Winger Cedrick Mabwati came in for Ethan Finlay against the Rapids and smashed home just the second goal of his Columbus career but expect to see Finlay, named to Jurgen Klinsmann’s primary Copa America squad, return for the matchup in Toronto.
    Due to the rivalry that has developed over the years, the fixture with Columbus has become a de facto derby for TFC. The Crew defeated the Reds twice last season, including a 2-0 victory at BMO Field in October, as Toronto limped into the playoffs.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: C.Irwin, D.Moor, D.Perquis, S.Beitashour, J.Morrow, D.Lovitz, M.Bradley, W.Johnson, T.Endoh, S.Giovinco, M.Babouli
    Columbus Crew: S.Clark, H.Afful, M.Parkhurst, G.Sauro, C.Ashe, W.Trapp, M.Saeid, J.Meram, F.Higuain, E.Finlay, O.Kamara
    Referee: Nima Saghafi
    Broadcast: Sportsnet One
    Follow Ciarán @keep_score
    Guest

    The Italian Job

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Meanwhile, the midfield maestro in blue, Andrea Pirlo will seek to send his side three points clear of the Montreal Impact at the top of the East with a win in Toronto. Montreal don’t play the Red Bulls until Saturday. NYCFC (4-3-4), who are on a three-game winning streak, may also be bolstered by the return of Frank Lampard, who has yet to play a minute in the 2016 MLS season.
    Neither Giovinco nor 36-year-old Pirlo were named Monday to the Italian training camp squad ahead of Euro 2016 but with Antonio Conte’s final roster not named until May 23, both will be hoping to impress in Wednesday’s matchup.
    TFC were rocked by news this week that Jozy Altidore will miss six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury picked up in the midst of his penalty miss against Vancouver. The problem involves the same hamstring the US international injured in pre-season and the most recent development means Altidore will almost certainly miss June’s Copa America Centenario.
    Coach Greg Vanney’s options are further limited by injuries to Jonathan Osorio and Marky Delgado. Osorio picked up another ankle knock on the weekend and while it is well on the mend he is doubtful for Wednesday. Delgado is almost certainly ruled out with his own hamstring injury picked up in the home opener against Dallas. Jay Chapman is in contention for his first start of the season and Mo Babouli is also likely to play from the start. Benoit Cheyrou remains sidelined with a quadriceps problem but could return within a week.
    New York coach Patrick Vieria has Federico Bravo available for selection after serving a suspension for caution accumulation and the Frenchman may need to freshen up his team after they played late Sunday in Portland.
    TFC lost their claim to stingiest defence in MLS by shipping four goals against the Whitecaps and will have their work cut out stopping Khiry Shelton and David Villa, who has scored in three consecutive games and sits tied with Giovinco at the top of the MLS scoring charts with 8 goals.
    Villa scored twice on matchday two this season at Yankee Stadium but Toronto’s early season resilience helped them claw their way back to a 2-2 share of the spoils. When the sides met at BMO Field in 2015, NYCFC’s inaugural season, Villa also notched a brace to secure a 2-0 win.
    Projected Line-ups
    Toronto: C.Irwin, D.Moor, D.Perquis, S.Beitashour, J.Morrow, D.Lovitz, M.Bradley, W.Johnson, J.Chapman, S.Giovinco, M.Babouli
    New York City FC: J.Saunders, R.Mataritta, J.Hernandez, F.Brilliant, RJ. Allen, A.Pirlo, M.Lopez, M.Diskerud, T.McNamara, D.Villa, K.Shelton
    Broadcast: TSN4
    Duane Rollins
    CSA General Secretary Peter Montopoli confirmed the transition process to CSN over the phone the day after Montagliani was elected President of CONCACAF. He has one year to resign his position as CSA president according to CONCACAF bylaws.
    Montopoli said that there is not yet a timetable in place for Montagliani to step aside. Once he does, CSA Vice President Steve Reed will take over the position on an interim basis until the election takes place. However, there will be a democratic process to determine who will finish out Montagliani’s term, which has nearly four full years remaining.
    Montopoli said that he did not anticipate any change in direction by the CSA during the interim period, stressing that Reed works closely with Montagliani now.
    Guest
    In an emotional home opener at a newly renovated sold-out BMO Field last weekend, the Reds defeated FC Dallas 1-0 in front of 30,000. The only downside for coach Greg Vanney was a hamstring injury to Marky Delgado, who is questionable to face the Whitecaps.
    Jonathan Osorio, who replaced Delgado from the bench against Dallas, should be back to full starting fitness following the ankle sprain that kept him out of the game against the Timbers. Vanney’s main decision will be if he should move Osorio back to the point of the midfield diamond and push home-opener man-of-the-match Tsubasa Endoh to the wing. The Japanese scored his first professional career goal to secure the three points against Dallas.
    Meanwhile, Sebastian Giovinco, goalless in two games, remains tied with Dwayne De Rosario on 28 MLS goals in a TFC jersey. Also looking to get on the scoresheet against Vancouver will be Jozy Altidore, who has drawn blanks in front of goal this season but impressed fans and management alike with his gritty work posting up defenders and generally creating more space for his teammates in the opponents half. However, in a Toronto tale of creating chances but not scoring, only the struggling Chicago Fire (8) have scored less goals than TFC (10).
    Toronto continue to lead all of MLS in fewest goals allowed (seven). Clint Irwin has kept four clean sheets through nine matches.
    The Whitecaps will be without striker Masato Kudo, who suffered a concussion in a collision with Fire stopper Matt Lampson. Kudo will be replaced in the 4-2-3-1 formation by Blas Pérez, who opened his season account with a pair of goals on Wednesday night, including the winner with a spectacular bicycle kick.
    Carl Robinson will also be missing central defender Kendall Waston, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Chicago. Pa Modou Kah will likely stand in for the absent Costa Rican.
    Vancouver have won three of their last five games to stabilize a season that got off to a slow start. 2016 recruit Christian Bolaños has burst into goal-scoring life, registering three times in Vancouver’s last four games.
    .
    The last time the sides met, at BC Place in March of last year, Toronto returned home with a 3-1 victory, largely thanks to a brace from Altidore.
    Saturday’s game is the first of three home games in eight days for the Reds.
    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
    Vancouver Whitecaps: D.Ousted, F.Aird, P. Kah, T.Parker, J.Harvey, P.Morales, M.Laba, C. Bolaños, N.Mezquida, C.Techera, B.Pérez
    Referee: Robert Sibiga
    Broadcast: TSN4
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