TORONTO —
While New York City FC and Atlanta United were No. 1 and 2 in the Eastern Conference last season, they sit bottom of their groups at the MLS is Back Tournament.
The MLS champion Seattle Sounders could thank the Vancouver Whitecaps for keeping them out of the Group B basement prior to their meeting Sunday night.
“It’s a little surprising because those are teams that have been very consistent over the last few years,” said Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney. “But having what has transpired over the last several months leading into an event like this, there’s always teams — even in World Cups — that don’t quite perform maybe as you had expected for one reason or another.
“Those are good teams and I think over a long season they would prove that they’re good teams. This (tournament) is a very short season, in a way,” he added.
Toronto, in contrast, has already found its feet. And while still a work in progress, it has shown resilience and a deft scoring touch despite missing star striker Jozy Altidore as he works his way back to full fitness.
The MLS Cup runner-up started well against D.C. United, only to cough up two late goals in a 2-2 tie. Then it dispatched Montreal 4-3.
Toronto takes on the New England Revolution on Tuesday morning with both teams knowing a win means finishing atop Group C. A draw opens the door to D.C. United, which could then climb into first with a victory over pointless Montreal later Tuesday.
With tournament group games counting in the regular-season standings, there is an added incentive to notch another win Tuesday.
The pluses for Toronto include 20-year-old striker Ayo Akinola, whose five goals were more than 20 of the 24 teams at the tournament had going into play Sunday.
Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo had a hand in all of Akinola’s goals and is developing a promising rapport on the right side with Brazilian fullback Auro and Argentine newcomer Pablo Piatti.
Captain Michael Bradley, coming off ankle surgery, has looked rejuvenated at the heart of the Toronto midfield.
The minus is Toronto has conceded five goals in two games. Only the Los Angeles Galaxy, with eight, had conceded more prior to Sunday.
Vanney says his team got disconnected on defence late against D.C. United and Montreal.
“Our timing of when we’re trying to move together as a group and control things defensively hasn’t been great,” he conceded.
He points to rust, from the lengthy pandemic-related hiatus prior to the tournament, and the oppressive conditions in Florida. That means the team isn’t dealing with problems as a unit, with individuals having to step up to deal with situations — with varying degrees of success.
“I think guys are naturally trying to find little moments where they can kind of catch their breath and deal with the heat and the humidity and the fatigue factor of our games coming quickly. Guys are resting at the wrong times … We’re getting a little disconnected on the defensive side.”
Vanney said he is trying to maintain some continuity in his lineup “because I think our group still needs to mould together here a little as this event continues, if we’re going to have a chance to win it.”
Still Vanney likes the way his team has gritted it out through the tough times. “And we’ve obviously had some very, very good moments with those games.
“But we’re still working towards that collective 90-minute game that we’ve haven’t hit yet. Not many teams have.”
The top team in Group C advances to the round of 16 against one of the four best third-place finishers next Sunday. The runner-up plays next Saturday against the second-place team in Group A, either Orlando City or the Philadelphia Union.
New England defeated Montreal 1-0 before settling for a 1-1 tie with D.C. United.
“We gave the game away,” Revs coach Bruce Arena said of the D.C. United match, lamenting his team’s inability to finish.
The Revolution conceded the tying goal in the 72nd minute when Federico Higuain pounced on a short back pass by Slovenian international defender Antonio Mlinar Delamea.
New England outshot D.C. United 18-6 (5-3 in shots on target).
Spanish star playmaker Carles Gil left the game in the 72nd minute. Arena said he is dealing with the same foot injury he has had since the pre-season.
Vanney says midfielder Jonathan Osorio (quad) and Altidore are making progress but seemed to suggest minutes off the bench would be a best-case scenario Tuesday.
The game is a 9 a.m. ET start, the second early kickoff for Toronto and first for New England at the tournament.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2020.
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — No. 1 Texas will start Arch Manning at quarterback Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe while regular starter Quinn Ewers continues to recover from a strained muscle in his abdomen, coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.
It will be the first career start for Manning, a second year freshman. He relieved Ewers in the second quarter last week against UTSA, and passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in a 56-7 Texas victory.
Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning.
Ewers missed several games over the previous two seasons with shoulder and sternum injuries.
The Longhorns are No. 1 for the first time since 2008 and Saturday’s matchup with the Warhawks is Texas’ last game before the program starts its first SEC schedule against Mississippi State on Sept. 28.
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