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“Which is the team that went to the CCL finals, was a PK away from winning it, one play away, that’s the team we are. Sometimes when you go through challenges, you get on the wrong side of momentum, but that’s not who we are. (Saturday night) is a sample of who we are and we still have more levels we can continue to push.”

Altidore made sure to praise those who have tried to hold the fort in the midst of all of the injuries.

Jonathan Osorio certainly stands out in that regard. Osorio had the winner at Ottawa last Wednesday, the winner on Saturday and has already scored more times this season than ever before, even with the potential distraction of his expiring contract hovering in the air.

“Whatever you want to say, we’re still in this thing and so the guys that were healthy did that (got them some points) and now it’s our turn to kind of give us a jolt to help us kick off (a winning streak),” Altidore said.

GETTING CLOSER

It was almost odd to see the Starting XI because it looked familiar, yet a relic from an earlier age.

The lineup was nearly what the club rolled out to open the MLS season way back on March 1 with only two changes from that group (Ashtone Morgan for the now exiled Ager Axetke and Marco Delgado for Victor Vazquez — and Vazquez eventually entered this match in the 80th minute).

That first match was the only other game both Mavinga and Altidore have been in TFC’s lineup for an MLS outing this season.

Vanney’s going to have a new, but far preferable, problem in the near future if Drew Moor and Auro, both stabilizing, starting defenders, continue to progress as they have been and are match fit sometime in the next two weeks. Mavinga is obviously crucial at the back and the team brought in Gregory van der Wiel to be a starter on defence, while Vanney spoke glowingly of Eriq Zavaleta after one of his best outings of the year. Depending on formations and even with all-star Justin Morrow on the wing, the once stripped bare backline will suddenly be flush with quality options for the coach.