TORONTO -- When Michael Bradley stepped off the plane in Toronto after the United States heartbreaking loss to Belgium at the World Cup, he made his intentions immediately clear. "He came up to me and said, I want to train," said Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen. The 26-year-old midfielder is expected to play Saturday night when Toronto hosts D.C. United, returning to his Major League Soccer squad with mixed feelings about the Americans World Cup run -- sad that it ended when it did but proud of his teams performance. "Theres disappointment for sure because we felt like things had come together in a good way for us, and we felt like there was more there for us," Bradley said after Fridays practice at BMO Field. "Thats sports ... you realize in those moments again how fine the margin is between going home and going on. "I think for every guy on our team there is a huge sense of pride for the way we went about it when the spotlight came on the brightest. For every guy who was there, the commitment, the determination, the willingness to leave everything on the field in every moment was incredible." He rejoins a Toronto team that has been climbing the Eastern Conference standings. TFC is fourth (6-4-3), but with four games in hand over leaders Sporting Kansas City and D.C. United. Striker Jermain Defoe, who was left off Englands roster for the World Cup, said Bradley could easily have requested a week or two off to rest and decompress. "He decided to come in and he wanted to play. Thats brilliant. He had a fantastic World Cup and hes just ready to go," Defoe said. "Great character to say to the manager, Im up for selection, I want to play, I dont need to go away and have a rest." The Americans finished second in Group G, then dropped a 2-1 decision to Belgium in extra time in their dramatic round-of-16 game. "Its always a draining experience in the World Cup, especially when you get eliminated," Nelsen said. "Theres this incredible sense of finality to it, and it can have repercussions. Id be worried if it was any other player other than Michael." Bradley said the feedback from the Belgium game has been unanimous in that it was a great game to watch. "The drama at the end, all the emotion that went into it ... when youre little, those are the games you dream of playing in," Bradley said. "Unfortunately at the end somebody has to be on the losing side but when you get a taste of playing in those kinds of games, you want more." Bradley was overwhelmed by the support the team received in Brazil. Before their opening game against Ghana in the coastal town of Natal, the local paper reported 30,000 Americans had arrived in town. "Youre thinking, maybe well have a chance to have a home crowd," Bradley said. "We walked onto the field and the national anthem starts and the entire stadium was singing. Thats a special feeling, to be playing in a World Cup representing your country, thousands of miles away from home but having the entire stadium full of Americans. "The atmosphere, the people and the support pushed us on in such a big way." The success of the Americans, and the amount of attention paid to the team in North America, was seen as a big thumbs-up to MLS. Commissioner Don Garber posted on Twitter moments after the Americans elimination: "We proved to the world we are a soccer nation!" Six starters on the U.S. team, including star striker Clint Dempsey, play in the MLS, plus several other countries boast MLS players -- TFC keeper Julio Cesar is Brazils starting keeper, Australian international Tim Cahill plays for the New York Red Bulls, to name two. "Were all realistic, we all know the MLS is not THE best league in the world yet, but its on the right path, its growing, its continuing to improve, the quality gets better and better," Bradley said. "And when you get to the World Cup and see the number of players who come out of this league and have done well, and had a big impact on whats gone on there, you cant help but have respect for what goes on here on a weekly basis." The league recently attracted a couple more big stars. Spains all-time leading goalscorer David Villa is headed to New York City FC, while Kaka, a Brazilian and former star for Real Madrid and AC Milan, recently signed with Orlando. Theyre both expansion teams that will make their league debuts next season. Defoe called the recently Kaka news a "massive signing. Such a massive name." "Someone who has achieved so much in the game, great footballer, still has a lot to offer," he said. "The names just keep coming and coming and its only going to help the league. And obviously for me, I sit back and think Im so glad that Ive come over here, and just to be a part of it all is really good." Bradley, who tried to make time to watch Torontos games online when he was in Brazil, is excited to rejoin a team that looks poised for its first playoff appearance in franchise history. Toronto marked the end of the MLS break for the World Cup by tying the Red Bulls 2-2 on the road on Wednesday night, dictating much of the play before relinquishing the lead when the Red Bulls scored in the third minute of injury time. "Credit to all the players, and obviously the manager and staff ... were just improving each day, taking small steps but really improving as a team," Defoe said. Defoe scored the lone goal of the game when TFC beat D.C. United 1-0 in their second game of the season. "Weve played them already this season but we know theyve improved since then and we feel weve improved also," said captain Steven Caldwell. "So it should be a really good game, hopefully an attacking game. We feel for us weve really improved in that area, were looking very dangerous when we go forward, we just have to make sure weve got that nice balance and were tight at the back." Toronto plays its next three games at home. After Saturday, they host Houston on July 12, then the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 16.
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Cole Hamels Jersey . Jose Bautista homered for the fifth straight game in the sixth inning, following a two-out solo homer by Melky Cabrera. Edwin Encarnacion led off the seventh with a homer to tie the game 3-3 and, with two out in the seventh, Munenori Kawasaki came through with the two-out single to score pinch-runner Steve Tolleson with what proved to be the winning run.TORONTO -- The artistry Justin Mapp displayed in scoring Montreals lone goal drew rave reviews from even Toronto FC coach Ryan Nelsen on Wednesday night. Mapp danced through Torontos defence to score on Montreals only shot on net as the Impact salvaged a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship against a TFC side missing star striker Jermain Defoe. "Hes a lovely man, he goes about his business quietly," Nelsen said of Mapp. "That was a classy classy goal, to tell you the truth, and the only way I think really they were going to score, to break us down. "Sometimes you have to tip your hat." Defender Doneil Henry scored the lone goal for Toronto. The draw could be considered a victory for Montreal, since road goals carry more weight. If next Wednesdays second leg in Montreal was to end in a 0-0 tie, the Impact would win based on Mapps goal at BMO Field. "Coming away, the first leg, you score an away goal, its very important," said Impact coach Frank Klopas. "But also I felt we finished the game the second half, we played some good soccer, we had some good opportunities, and so its a good result on the road. But nothings done yet." The draw was the latest chapter in a Canadian Championship battle between these two teams. Toronto has won four of the six titles, Montreal has won the other two, including the inaugural tournament in 2008, and then last year. The winner earns the right to represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto dominated possession for most of the night, and had five shots on net to the Impacts one in front of 18,269 mostly red-clad TFC fans at BMO Field. Nelsen sat Defoe because the former Tottenham Hotspur star was feeling "a wee bit tight." The coach admitted that, with the lineup he fielded, he was looking ahead to Saturdays Major League Soccer game against the visiting Columbus Crew. "But in saying that, I put out the team that I thought should have won that game," Nelsen said. "We gave a lot of guys a chance to prove themselves, and it looked a bit like they hadnt played together, sometimes it wasnt pretty. But they worked hard." Henry leapt to head home a corner from Daniel Lovitz in the 20th minute, a blistering shot from the top of the six-yard box that Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush had little chance of stopping. The goal was a positive -- finally -- for Henry, whos been mired in negatives lately. Most recently, in Torontos 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City, a foul by the Toronto defender inside the box cost the team a Kansas City penalty shot. "For Doneil, he showed his character," Nelsen said. "Obviously hes had a couple of tough ones that everybody likes to remind him of. Its the ability to get back on the horse and get back in the arena that I love about the kid." Mapp tied the game in the 70th, dribbling through Torontos back line and beating a lunging Steven Caldwell to fire a shot past keeper Joe Bendik. "Just collected it on thhe right side, started driving toward the top of the box.dddddddddddd . . ultimately nobody put pressure on the ball and I found myself at the top of the 18 and just had a go. Snuck in," Mapp said. "Nice of him to say," he added, when told of Nelsens praise. "Just trying to stay consistent and do my job each week. Its been tough for us, just trying to play my part, and hopefully it continues." "Tough" is an understatement for a Montreal team that has been struggling mightily this MLS season, looking nothing like the squad that made the playoffs last season. Montreal sits dead last in the league with one win, six losses and four draws. Toronto FC is 4-4-1. But the Impact picked up their pace in the second half, and are in the drivers seat heading into Wednesdays game. "It was tough, (Toronto) had a little more bite (in the first half), winning all the second balls, the soccer really wasnt pretty from either team," Mapp said. "But its Toronto-Montreal Cup final and at halftime, we just said Look, leave it all out there, and good or bad, you just dont know when youll have this chance again." Klopas raged about the refereeing in his post-game news conference. "For me to come here again and complain with the referees. Two clear hand balls in the box, for me its embarrassing. Its embarrassing," he said. "It was a good game played by both teams. . . but me the referees, to be talking about two clear hand balls. . "If youre going to have a final, at least let the players decide, not the referees making calls like this. For me, its an embarrassment." Nelsen said he had little sympathy for the opposing coach. "Talk about bad calls, weve been on the back end of a few of them this season, so Im not going to feel too bad for Frank," Nelsen said. Toronto controlled possession for much of a game that saw few scoring chances by either side. Dwayne De Rosario, who is tied for the tournaments all-time lead in goals with four and won back-to-back tournament MVP honours (2009 and 10), almost put Toronto up by two goals in the 58th minute when he rung a hard shot off the crossbar from about 25 yards out, drawing groans from the crowd. DeRosario sat on the turf in disbelief at his bad luck. De Rosario had another great chance in the 70th, lobbing a high ball over the head of Bush, who was well out of his net. But Heath Pearce was there to head the ball off the goal-line. De Rosario would have a third chance in the 84th minute, when Toronto was awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, but he fired it high of the net. Lovitz had perhaps the best opportunity in the first half, one-timing a rebound off a beautiful cross from Ashtone Morgan. But he launched it well over the top of the crossbar. Toronto, which is 7-1-3 all-time against the Impact in Canadian Championship action, defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps to make the final, while Montreal edged second-division side FC Edmonton to earn its spot. ' ' '
Eaking Loss To Belgium At The World Cup, He Made His I
Aug 21 2019, 02:46 AM
