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TORONTO — Nigerian rookie Ifunanyachi Achara scored late in his MLS debut to give Toronto FC a 1-0 win over New York City FC on Saturday.
A NYCFC giveaway started the counter-attack. Alejandro Pozuelo swept the ball wide to Richie Laryea whose cross deflected off defender Ronald Mataritta to the far corner of the goal where Achara rose high to head it in in the 81st minute.
The goal gave coach Greg Vanney his 100th win for Toronto FC in all competitions.
There was no shortage of talking points as the two Eastern Conference rivals faced off in Toronto’s home opener before an announced crowd of 26,171 at BMO Field.
Toronto (1-0-1) had a goal — by Achara — and potential penalty waved off by video review in the first half. The home side, which turned up the offence as the game wore on, could have had more goals had it not been for NYCFC goalkeeeper Sean Johnson.
Because of the new coronavirus, the players dispensed with the normal pre-match handshakes in favour of fist bumps. And prior to kickoff, the video screen at BMO field offered tips on hand-washing to those in attendance.
It was a crisp three degrees Celsius — said to feel like minus-two — at the 5 p.m. ET kickoff.
It was Toronto’s first home game since a 5-1 extra-time playoff win over D.C. United on Oct. 29. And the first meeting between TFC and NYCFC since Toronto ended the New Yorkers’ season with a 2-1 win in the Eastern Conference semifinal on a late Pozuelo penalty.
Pozuelo has been the scourge of NYCFC (0-2-0), which finished atop the East after last year’s regular season. He scored two goals and added an assist in a 4-0 win over New York in his MLS debut last March.
Achara and Venezuelan winger Erickson Gallardo moved into Toronto’s starting lineup with Tsubasa Endoh and Jacob Shaffelburg dropping out. Shaffelburg left last week’s season-opening 2-2 tie in San Jose with a hamstring issue while Endoh took a knock on his knee in training Friday.
Achara took up a position on the left wing while Gallardo was stationed on the right.
Achara looked to have scored in the 11th minute, taking in a nice feed from Jonathan Osorio, who danced past several defenders. But the goal was ruled offside after video review.
Quentin Westberg made a good save to deny Keaton Parks in the 19th minute as NYCFC began to find its feet after a sluggish start.
Video review came into play again in the 28th minute after Toronto fullback Justin Morrow went down in the box after making contact with James Sands, who left his knee out on the play. There was no call on the field and referee Ted Unkel let play go on after watching the replay on the pitchside monitor.
Jozy Altidore had a chance in the 29th minute, swivelling to hit a shot that went straight at Johnson after leaving a couple of defenders in his tracks. Marky Delgado opened up the defence with a fine through ball on the play.
Pozuelo, aiming for the top left corner, hit the crossbar with a left-footed shot in the 41st minute as Toronto started to make inroads. Achara then sent in a high curling shot from distance that Johnson had to move quickly to get a hand to.
Altidore dragged a shot wide in the 53rd minute after a fine setup by Pozuelo. At the other end, Westberg made a fine save to deny Jesus Medina in the 60th minute.
Toronto then started to turn the screw. Johnson made a terrific reflex save in the 68th minute to stop a low Altidore header after Pozuelo floated in a free kick. Johnson stopped Altidore again in stoppage time.
Toronto came into the match with an unimpressive 2-4-5 all-time record against NYCFC. The two victories were both 4-0 decisions at BMO Field.
But TFC has held the upper hand in the post-season, winning all three playoff meetings.
Toronto was missing the injured Pablo Piatti, Nick DeLeon and Shaffelburg. New York was without suspended defender Maxime Chanot, who was sent off in the third minute of NYCFC’s 1-0 loss in Columbus last week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2020.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press