LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Toronto FC has made it to the round of 16 at the MLS is Back tournament, wrapping up a challenging first round with a 0-0 tie with the New England Revolution.
The result left Toronto atop Group C, pending the result of the final group game between Montreal and D.C. United later in the day. While a D.C. win would leave it tied with Toronto and New England on five points, Toronto can finish no lower than second based on tiebreakers.
The group winner takes on one of the four-best third-place finishers on Sunday in the first knockout round. The runner-up faces the Philadelphia Union, second in Group A, on Saturday.
“I’m pleased,” said Toronto coach Greg Vanney. “I’d be hard-pressed to say that there’s another team at a tournament that’s had as difficult a schedule as we have in playing two games at 9 a.m. and one off of two days’ rest.
“So again it shows the strength and resiliency of our group. Even the depth, with some of our young guys coming in and helping us out.”
Toronto extended its club-record unbeaten regular-season run to 15 (6-0-9) since a 2-0 loss Aug. 3 at the New York Red Bulls. And with group games counting in the regular-season standings, it now stands second in the Eastern Conference at 2-0-3 behind Columbus (3-0-1).
New England, now with a 1-1-3 record in the season standings, also assured itself of moving on.
The knockout round could see Toronto field a potent strike force of Jozy Altidore and Ayo Akinola.
“They’re two strong guys who are going to be a handful for defenders to deal with in the moments we use them together,” said Vanney.
“We’ll see how we play it out as we move through the tournament and into the rest of the year,” he added.
Altidore, who has been working his way back to full fitness, made his tournament debut in the 86th minute and had an impact within 30 seconds, finding Akinola racing towards the penalty box. The 20-year-old forward was taken down by DeJuan Jones but, after video review, it was ruled a free kick just outside the box and not a penalty.
“Jozy’s more than just a target striker. He’s a fantastic soccer player,” said Vanney. “Obviously we know he can score goals. He provides us with a lot of different things.”
Akinola said he initially thought it was a penalty, but changed his mind after reviewing the skid marks made by the collision.
New England wanted a penalty in the 80th minute when substitute Gustavo Bou went down in the penalty box making contact with Michael Bradley, but no call was made.
Akinola, who came in the game with five goals at the tournament, had several chances to add to his total. The best came in the 79th minute when, after taking an Alejandro Pozuelo through ball, he outmuscled a defender only to see goalkeeper Matt Turner get a limb to the ball.
It was 29 C for kickoff, with the sapping Florida heat feeling like 36 C.
“As the game goes (on), it’s a grind … No clouds, no cover from the sun,” Vanney said. “For the guys, it’s gritting it out. Your mind naturally is telling you that you need to try to take a rest. But you know you also can’t take a rest. And then you’ve got 11 guys trying to co-ordinate when they should be resting at the same time.”
It was a game of two halves Tuesday with Toronto running the first and New England coming out more aggressive in the second half.
“We got better in the second half, getting a little tighter on them and winning some second balls,” said New England coach Bruce Arena. “And being better with our passing. We had the opportunity to get at them a little bit.”
Toronto outshot New England 14-10 (5-2 in shots on target) and had 60.4 per cent possession.
Vanney made two changes to his starting 11, bringing in goakeeper Alex Bono for Quentin Westberg and midfielder Nick DeLeon for Tsubasa Endoh. It was Bono’s first league start since May 8, 2019, when Toronto lost 2-0 to Atlanta. Westberg had started the last 33 regular-season and playoff games.
Bono made a key save in the 74th minute, using his body to stop Polish striker Adam Buksa from point-blank range after a long pass found Brandon Bye behind the Toronto defence.
Vanney had hoped Jonathan Osorio, who has been dealing with a quad issue, might be ready for Tuesday’s game, but the Canadian midfielder did not make the matchday 23.
Arena, whose team played last Friday, made six changes to his starting 11.
Spanish playmaker Carles Gil, who has been dealing with a lingering foot issue, did not dress for New England. Gil sat on the bench with a walking boot on his leg foot.
Hamilton-born U.S. international forward Teal Bunbury, the son of former Canadian international Alex Bunbury, captained the Revs. Canadian Tajon Buchanan started on the right wing for New England.
New England did not manage a shot on target in the first half with Toronto, which put three shots on goal, having 68.1 per cent of the possession.
Canadian midfielder Noble Okello, who turned 20 Monday, made his MLS debut off the bench in the 68th minute.
Toronto opened the tournament with a 2-2 tie with D.C. United before beating the Montreal Impact 4-3. New England defeated Montreal 1-0 and tied D.C. United 1-1.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2020.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.
For now, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins’ starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.
“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was expected at the team facility on Friday to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.
“We just have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation,” McDaniel said, noting that the only opinions that will matter to the team will be the ones from Tagovailoa and the medical staff.
McDaniel added that he doesn’t see Tagovailoa playing in Miami’s next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.
“I have no idea and I’m not going to all of a sudden start making decisions that I don’t even see myself involved in the most important parts of,” McDaniel added. “All I’m telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend. And then we’ll move from there. There won’t be any talk about where we’re going in that regard … none of that will happen without doctors’ expertise and the actual player.”
Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.
Thompson said he feels “fully equipped” to run the Dolphins’ offense.
“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday’s game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
