Toronto FC's Dwayne De Rosario (L) battles for the ball with FC Dallas' Heath Pearce during the first half of their MLS soccer match in Toronto July 24, 2010. REUTERS/Mark BlinchMARK BLINCH/Reuters
Now Toronto FC players have another reason to be angry with themselves.
After saying they were upset with the way they played in their 2-1 away loss to the expansion Philadelphia Union on July 17, their first Major League Soccer defeat in more than two months, Toronto blew a late lead in a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas on Saturday.
Toronto head coach Predrag (Preki) Radosavljevic, who said the loss in Philadelphia was a warning to his team, was disappointed with the final 20 minutes on Saturday.
"The most important part of the game is the last 20 minutes, especially when you get on top and score a good goal" Preki said. "Then once again we found a way to give up a soft goal. That's a worrying thing that we're lacking in concentration in the box."
"Actually we had the ball before (the corner), we gave them the ball and they got a corner kick out of nothing. The ball was in our possession. It was one of those lethargic plays."
Toronto seemed to relax after Maicon Santos scored in the 61st minute off Julian de Guzman's deft pass for a 1-0 lead before an announced crowd of 19,743 at rain-soaked BMO Field. By dropping back so readily after taking the lead, FC Dallas had easy access to the Toronto end of the pitch, space that had not been so readily available when the home side was playing its game.
Then there was the lackadaisical play that led unnecessarily to a corner kick for Dallas. The lax defence carried to the corner that led to a 77th-minute goal on a header by Milton Rodriguez with David Ferreira earning the assist.
"We feel that one of the weaknesses for Toronto is their defence may not have the speed to keep up," Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "We were also wondering what their fitness level is like, because they died in Philadelphia."
"Some guys we tired toward the end and that's becoming a trend," Preki said. "We have to find a solution."
Although Toronto remained undefeated in MLS games at BMO Field with a 5-0-4 record, it had to settle with one point instead of three and now stands at 6-5-5 overall in its MLS schedule. Dallas, which came into the game with four wins in its previous five games, is 6-2-8.
"It's very frustrating to give them tie," Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei said. "Obviously they were happy with it, us definitely not. Especially by the fashion we conceded that goal, on a set piece. We've got to win our individual battles and almost take the intensity up a notch when we defend on set pieces. It's got to get better."
Preki did not like the way his team reacted when it took the lead. "It's disappointing," he said. "It's almost like somebody told them okay let's drop back, let them have the ball and that's something we never talk about. We want to have the ball, we want to defend with the ball."
Dallas 'keeper Kevin Hartman made the save of the first half in the 23rd minute, tipping a dangerous shot off a free kick by Dwayne De Rosario. Hartman came up with another big save in the 45th minute on Chad Barrett.
Hartman stopped De Rosario's header in the 58th minute and Santos could not put home the rebound. Three minutes later Santos made no mistake. It was the first MLS goal for Santos for Toronto since he was picked up from Chivas USA on July 9.
It was chippy in the first half with Toronto picking up three yellow cards -- De Rosario, Amadou Sanyang and Adrian Cann -- and Dallas had one to Daniel Hernandez.
Toronto's Nick LaBrocca picked up a yellow card in stoppage time in the second half as did Jair Benitez of Dallas. And Dallas reserve goalkeeper Dario Sala who was on the bench received a red card in the final minutes.
Notes: Toronto's newest player, Miguel Angel Ferrer MartDinez, known as Mista, entered the game in the 56th minute. He replaced Sanyang who was shaken up in front of the Dallas goal after a corner kick. ...The 2-1 loss in Philadelphia on July 17, was the first for Toronto since a 2-1 defeat at Real Salt Lake on May 5. TFC had been unbeaten in eight league games and 11 games in all when the Nutrilite Canadian Championship games were included. ...There were plenty of empty seats as it rained during the first half but let up in the second half. ...Defender Ty Harden (left calf strain) and midfielder Martin Saric (right quadriceps strain) did not play Saturday for TFC. Midfielder Dax McCarty (right quad strain) did not play for Dallas. ....Toronto's next game is a CONCACAF qualifying fixture against CD Motagua of Honduras on July 27 at BMO Field and then it is a visit to Kansas City on July 31. ...Dallas plays at Colorado on July 31.