Week 19 will feature a matchup between the two worst defensive units in Major League Soccer, as Toronto host the San Jose Earthquakes at BMO Field on Saturday.
After 18 games in 2022, the Reds have conceded 34 goals, which is one fewer than San Jose as both teams are level on points in their respective conferences with 18.
Match preview
Perhaps one of the few consistencies that we have seen from Toronto throughout the year has been their defensive liabilities, allowing at least one goal in 26 consecutive matches in MLS play, matching the sixth-longest streak in league history.
On the opening weekend of July, they failed to generate any sort of rhythm versus the Seattle Sounders, dropping a second successive fixture on home soil (2-0) after winning their previous two contests at BMO Field in all competitions.
While there is plenty of excitement surrounding the new additions in Toronto, Bob Bradley still has a lot of work to do when it comes to fixing their defensive shape, with giveaways featuring prominently for them of late.
Conceding twice to the lowest-scoring team in the Eastern Conference (Columbus Crew) and then failing to keep a heavily rotated Rave Green side at bay will only add to their low confidence on the back end.
With losses and goals piling up seemingly every game, it can be easy to forget that they have progressed in various categories from a year ago.
TFC are looking more and more comfortable under a Bob Bradley system, as they have won their share of balls in the middle of the field and have strung together some good build-ups, while the Reds have found the back of the net 24 times, which is tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference.
When you look at where the Quakes are now with Alex Covelo in charge, compared to what we saw at the start of the year under Matias Almeyda, you have to wonder if the front office were too late in making that coaching change.
San Jose have picked up a win or a draw in nine of Covelo's 13 matches in charge after going 0-4-3 to begin the year when Almeyda was calling the shots.
Unfortunately, you cannot dwell on the past, but simply look to the future, although when we examine this team in the present, we can see that they have shown minor improvements on the back end, conceding a goal or fewer in two of their last three games.
Last Sunday, despite allowing six shots on target against the Chicago Fire, San Jose were able to keep them to the outside for the most part, while also doing an excellent job at disrupting the passing lanes in the middle of the field, with the Fire putting up a pass accuracy of only 71%.
If they can tally more than once over 90 minutes, chances are the Goonies will come away with something, having suffered only one defeat domestically this season when scoring multiple goals.
The Quakes have only won one match all year in which they were trailing at the interval, though they have reacted well when allowing a goal in the final 45 minutes, coming back to earn eight points in 2022 when facing a deficit.
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Team News
The long-awaited debut of Lorenzo Insigne will be delayed for a couple more weeks, as the Toronto striker is dealing with a calf injury and is not expected to be ready until July 23.
His Italian countryman Domenico Criscito is eligible to play his first game with TFC since signing from Genoa, while Noble Okello is out with a low-body injury.
Jacob Shaffelburg has been loaned to Toronto FC II in MLS Next Pro, though he could still be recalled back to Toronto at any point during the rest of the campaign.
While it has yet to be confirmed, word has it that TFC will be trading their 2022 assists leader Alejandro Pozuelo to Inter Miami in exchange for $150,000 in General Allocation Money.
If that deal goes through, reports indicate the Reds will use some of that money to purchase Federico Bernardeschi, a teammate of Insigne with the Azzuri during their Euro 2020 triumph last summer.
A brace from Benjamin Kikanovic and an assist from Jamiro Monteiro enabled the Quakes to edge Chicago 2-1, while Jeremy Ebobisse is now goalless in three straight games but is still near the top of the Golden Boot race in second with nine strikes.
Monteiro is in a three-way tie for first on the team when it comes to assists as he, Jan Gregus and Cristian Espinoza have each picked up five this year.
San Jose sent attacking midfielder Javier Lopez back to Chivas de Guadalajara in Liga MX, opening the door for them to sign another Designated Player between now and the end of the Secondary Transfer window, which closes on August 4.
As many as three players could be missing from the San Jose lineup on Saturday, as Francisco Calvo is nursing an ankle problem, Gilbert Fuentes continues to deal with personal issues and Siad Haji has a concussion.
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Westberg; Thompson, Salcedo, Criscito, Petrasso; Osorio, Bradley; Priso; Nelson, Jimenez, Akinola
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Marcinkowski; Marie, Nathan, Beason, Lopez; Yueill, Gregus; Espinoza, Monteiro, Kikanovic; Ebobisse
We say: Toronto 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes
These two sides have plenty of similarities when it comes to quality in the attacking third, with each allowing their opponents to fire at will in their own penalty area.
Home field could be the deciding factor in this one, and because of that we are giving the Reds a slight edge, having won all five of their regular season contests at BMO Field, while the Goonies have yet to win on the road, failing to score on five occasions.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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