Toronto FC was back in training on Monday ahead of playing two games this week

Here are some news and notes from the day’s practice.

TIGRES MATCH ILL-TIMED

Fresh off a 5-3 home win over the LA Galaxy on Saturday, TFC returns to action on Wednesday night when it hosts Mexican side Tigres in the Campeones Cup.

The timing of this new competition, contested between the reigning champions of MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, couldn’t come at a worse time for a Toronto side fighting to stay alive in the MLS playoff race, and with a big road game against the New York Red Bulls this weekend. It’s also ill-timed for Tigres, who take on local rivals Monterrey on Sunday in an important Liga MX match.

TFC coach Greg Vanney didn’t tip his hand, but you can expect him to rotate his squad and give some starters the night off on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s trip to New York. Vanney did, however, rule out using youth academy products and players from the TFC 2 farm club for this match.

“It’s an important game in that our guys know it’s a cup. We’re playing a very good team, we’re playing at home and we want to have a good showing and play to win,” Vanney stated.

“We’ll put out a team that gives us a chance to be successful. I don’t know if it’s the most important game of our season, but I would say it’s something we would like to win and we’re going to take it seriously.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Toronto defender Eriq Zavaleta.

“I’m excited. It’s another chance to win a trophy at home. … At this point in the [MLS] season, given the way the year has gone, just to be able to win a trophy is exciting for us,” Zavaleta said.

These two sides met in the quarterfinals of this season’s Concacaf Champions League, with TFC winning the series on the away goals rule to eliminate Tigres.

“They were very good the last time we saw them, and tactically a lot of things are similar to what they were before. We have to be smart in this game,” Vanney warned.

PLAYOFF HOPES HANGING BY A THREAD

Toronto kept its meagre post-season hopes alive with the win over LA. However, the Reds didn’t make up any ground on the Montreal Impact, who earned a 4-1 road win over the Philadelphia Union.

As a result, TFC still sits ninth in the Eastern Conference, nine points and three spots back of Montreal, who hold down the sixth and final playoff berth in the East.

TFC does have a game in hand on the Impact, and they still have to go to Montreal next month. But with only six games remaining in the season, and with D.C. United and the New England Revolution also ahead of the Reds in the standings, they’ll have to run the table just to have a chance at the playoffs, and even that might not be enough.

TFC is doing a lot of out-of-town scoreboard watching at the moment. Ultimately, though, they’re fully aware there is no room for error and that they have to take care of their business.

“Our future lies in our ability to be successful in each game we go out. That’s the priority but you still take notice [of other results] because we do need things to happen to get back into it,” Vanney stated.

“It’s incumbent upon us to get the results that we need long the way to even have a chance.”

Sportsnet Tonight The MLS needs this kind of drama going forward September 16 2018 Your browser does not support the audio element.



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INJURY UPDATES

Auro Jr. and Chris Mavinga, who have missed significant time this season with hamstring injuries, are getting closer to returning to action.

Vanney confirmed that both players have returned to full training, and that the club will ease them back this week, with the hope of possibly being able to play them against the Red Bulls.

Fellow defender Drew Moor sat out the game against LA with a minor calf strain that he picked up late last week in training. Vanney confirmed that Moor is day-to-day, and the hope is that he’ll be available to play Saturday in New York.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEW YORK

After the game against Tigres, Toronto hits the road to take on the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

New York (17-7-5) sits second in the East, and has already clinched a playoff berth. The Red Bulls are winless in their last two games, and are coming off of a thrilling 3-3 draw away to D.C. United on Sunday in which New York’s Bradley Wright-Phillips scored a hat trick.

“Bradley Wright-Phillips is playing phenomenal; he’s playing as good as anybody in the league right now,” Vanney offered.

The Red Bulls earned a 1-0 win at BMO Field on Canada Day in the only previous meeting between the clubs this season.