TFC II in D3: Summer Swoon Leaves Young Reds On The Brink

[Rintaran]

Having escaped Richmond with a point for the first time in club history, Toronto FC II found further cause for muted celebration last Friday when they posted their first clean sheet for five games. The the 0-0 draw with Greenville Triumph was also the kids’ first goalless game of the season.

Their last bore-draw was last September, in that riveting anti-climax of a season finale against the erstwhile Harrisburg City Islanders . Incidentally, Jordan Perruzza had as much luck in front of goal then as two weeks ago, not that there’s any shame in being shut out by the Upstate Boys’ notoriously stingy defence.

Ironically, the local lines(wo)men were no help at all to the Young Reds. Previously reliable allies, the hosts were flagged offside as often as the visitors, including on a would-be injury-time winner by Mehdi Essoussi.

The clean sheet was especially encouraging in that it felt genuinely earned. Instead of their opponents simply not turning up, or not being able to finish to save their lives (Lansing Ignite have done both), this was a solid – if occasionally haphazard – defensive effort.

Eric Klenofsky redeemed himself for that clanger against Richmond, making some choice saves amid possible injuries to two centre-backs. After taking a ball to the chops late in the first half, Rocco Romeo was switched out for injury-list perennial Jelani Peters. The Trinidadian lasted all of fifteen minutes before making way for Noble Okello.

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