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When Toronto (0-2-0) hosts Real Salt Lake at
BMO Field on Friday, it will try to climb out of last place in
the Eastern Conference following a 2-0 defeat to Columbus in the
season opener and a 1-0 loss at the Montreal Impact on March 17.
D.C. United in 2000 is the only other defending MLS Cup champion
to start the following season with consecutive losses. Toronto
seeks to avoid being the first to lose its first three matches.
"The first bunch of games is trying to find your rhythm, find
some of the details, get a look at some of the new guys we have
in, the new relationships, try a few new things," Toronto coach
Greg Vanney said.
Toronto plays the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League
semifinal Tuesday at home versus Club America (Mexico), so the
lineup against RSL (1-1-1) may not feature all of its top
players.
"We can't predict what they're going to come out with," Salt
Lake forward Brooks Lennon said. "We've been looking at a couple
of formations, five in the back or four in the back. We've been
preparing for everything."
Neither Toronto nor Salt Lake played last weekend but not
everyone had time off. Five of Toronto's Canadians went to Spain
for a match versus New Zealand, and goalkeeper Alex Bono and
midfielder Marky Delgado were with the U.S. squad for its
friendly against Paraguay in Cary, N.C., on Tuesday.
RSL midfielder Albert Rusnák scored his first goal for Slovakia
in its match in Thailand on Sunday. He returned to Salt Lake on
Tuesday and will be available Friday.
--Field Level Media
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