ORLANDO, FLA

A first-half goal from the Columbus Crew’s Glauber was enough to outlast a listless TFC attack in preseason action Saturday afternoon at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports.

The Brazilian defender skied above everyone at the penalty spot on 30 minutes to head a Federico Higuain corner off the crossbar and in to give the Yellows a 1-0 win in the opening exhibition here in central Florida.

With many of his mainstays still working to achieve match fitness this pre-season, TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen issued starts to a number of new faces just three weeks from first kick.

Veteran midfielders Julio Cesar and Torsten Frings didn’t feature until the second half Saturday while veteran central defender Danny Califf is still labouring from a knee injury held over from last season.

With TFC’s Opening Day back four still a mystery, Nelsen partnered Irish centre back Darren O’Dea with 21-year-old Gale Agbossoumonde, who did well in his debut in holding the Crew to just two attempts on Stefan Frei through the first 45 minutes.

While Toronto’s coaching staff couldn’t say enough about its collective effort behind the ball Saturday afternoon, a massive concern is the lack of chances it created against what was a near full-strength Crew.

Other than threatening on a few set pieces in the 22nd and 28th minutes, the Reds created little going forward with Justin Braun and Luis Silva playing alongside each other up top. More evident was the fact TFC rarely advanced with numbers through the opening half.

As Columbus removed its first-team troops during the second half, the Reds began to control the run of play and could have equalized on three occasions.

Minutes after the break, Argentine trialist Nicolas Cabrera’s cross just missed finding Braun in front of goal. Less than 10 minutes later, Cabrera rewarded Ashtone Morgan’s spirited run down the left before TFC’s left back cut the ball back across the frame, where Silva’s one-timer was denied by Crew reserve ’keeper Matt Lampson.

The Reds saw a final attempt to pull level come back off the post in the 81st minute when a recycled corner was sent back in by trialist Ashtone Bennett, who found second-half substitute Terry Dunfield for a flick-header that rattled the frame.

Toronto FC is scheduled to have a light session here Sunday before a day off Monday. The Reds return to exhibition action on Wednesday against third-division side Orlando City.

TFC’S LINEUPS

FIRST HALF STARTING LINEUP:Frei, Eckersley, Agbossoumonde, O’Dea, Morgan, Lambe, Osorio (academy), Hall, Welshman, Silva, Braun.

SECOND HALF STARTING LINEUP:Frei, Eckersley, Agbossoumonde, O’Dea, Morgan, Lambe, Cesar, Hall, Cabrera (trialist), Silva, Braun.

FREI SENT TO HOSPITAL

Stefan Frei is no stranger to infirmary-worthy injuries.

After suffering a horrifying leg break at the start of last season, TFC’s starting ’keeper was back in hospital Saturday night after taking a cleat to the face during the first half of a 1-0 loss to the Columbus Crew here in central Florida.

Frei was tested late in first half stoppage-time when Crew attacker Ryan Finley exploited the space behind TFC’s back four. In what looked like a 50-50 situation, Frei led with his head as Finley lifted his boot, bloodying Frei’s face in the process.

“I was running for the ball, I picked my head up for a second and I saw him flying out with his head,” Finley said of the incident. “It was kind of a bang-bang play.”

Although TFC’s staff wouldn’t speculate, a broken nose could see Frei miss a bit of time. And with first kick in Vancouver three weeks away, ’keeping duties could fall to Joe Bendik, a player the Reds acquired in a trade with the Portland Timbers this off-season for TFC’s former No. 2, Milos Kocic.

“Besides a very bent nose at the moment, we don’t know (Frei’s status),” head coach Ryan Nelsen said.

It might be unpopular criticism, but Frei’s overzealousness can’t escape mention. While effort has been his defining quality in the past, it’s up for debate whether Frei should have put himself in harm’s way in what’s a meaningless preseason friendly.

Leave it up to the club’s hard-nosed, blue collar defender to see it differently.

“(Frei) came back (from injury) and he was straight into it,” Darren O’Dea said. “There was no fault in either part.”

NELSEN PLEASED WITH DISPLAY

Head coach Ryan Nelsen didn’t make much of Saturday’s result — TFC’s 15th straight match without a win dating back to last season.

Despite watching his injury-riddled Reds be outplayed by the Columbus Crew throughout the first half of TFC’s pre-season opener, Nelsen was satisfied with how they went about their business behind the ball.

“Really happy with the guys,” Nelsen said. “We only conceded two shots the entire game, one was miles away.”

The other, well, it was Glauber’s winner midway through the first half.

“I thought defensively we were very solid and that’s the foundation that Toronto has to work from,” Nelsen said. “We haven’t spent much time on set pieces so I’m not too worried about (the goal).”

kurtis.larson@sunmedia.ca



@kurtlarsun