We opposed Toronto in midweek for their trip to Chivas, ahead of which I wrote ...The hosts (Chivas) have not won in 14 starts, which is just one shy of the club record and now is the time to draw a line in the sand. They will be buoyed by their record against TFC having won the last five meetings, by a combined 12-1 scoreline. The visitors have just as dismal a record as Chivas and whilst their current streak without a win "only" stands at four, they have won just twice in 31 starts. They will be without two suspended players in young centre back Doneil Henry (7-0-1) and midfielder Reggie Lambe (16-0-0). Whilst they will not want to lose a match many see as the battle of the two worst teams in the MLS, they might have one eye on two home fixtures next week and I feel Chivas are slowly turning the corner and have performed the better of these two over the last month.
TFC lost 1-0 and the fact that Chivas played for circa 70 minutes with ten men and still found a late winner, must have been soul destroying for the Canadian side, who have now won just twice in 32 outings. I think they will be up against it tonight again, to play in LA on Wednesday and Toronto on Saturday is very tough, whilst not quite coast to coast, it is still well over 2,000 miles and across three time zones.They had been in Kansas just four days previously and that is a gruelling week, especially when you have not scored and conceded four goals and an already low confidence level must be close to being completely shot.
The scheduler has been FAR kinder to NYRB, who have only left the East once in the last two months and who will be well rested since thumping Montreal Impact 4-0 last weekend, when Thierry Henry scored his first goal in seven weeks and also assisted for two others, one for Tim Cahill who had a similar dry spell. Since we last discussed Red Bulls, absolute key and lightning quick central defender Jámison Olave has also returned to the starting line up and things suddenly look on the up for them, three points would take them top of the East, at least until Sporting play later in the evening and that is a big incentive. The pair have already met here in Toronto this season, Red Bulls edged it 2-1, Cahill scored both, the winner provided by Henry. NY have not lost in four visits, or eight straight ( six wins) over TFC. The visitors did play a home friendly with Lyon on Tuesday and the 2-2 draw will have pleased them , but most of their key players only saw 30-45 minutes of action and TH sat it out completely, so it was little more than a mini training session. That schedule gets tougher for NY after tonight and they are very keen on the points, they will also welcome getting out of the city, the Big apple has been sweletering and some 10-12 degrees cooler in Toronto will not only be a relief, but should increase energy levels further, although Red Bulls should already have an advantage in that regard. 1.5 units New York Red Bulls -0.25 ball 2.04 asian line/Ibramarket.
Good Luck.
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