NEW YORK, NY- The Red Bulls walked away from BMO Field with more than just a 4-1 win over Toronto as New York now has a firm grasp on second place in the Eastern Conference. A look at the player ratings follow the midfield’s dominance in Toronto:
GK – Bouna Coundoul: But for his near post goal in the second half, a bad blunder for sure by Coundoul, it was a solid match. He made several key saves and looked in control, even getting some help from the post in the first half. Rating: 6
D- Chris Albright: A complete performance from the player, who defended well and moved up the right side with ease, striking quality balls all the time. Rating: 7.5
D- Carlos Mendes: Looked a bit scattered in the opening 30 minutes but enjoyed a strong second half for the most part, winning his battles. Partly at fault on the Toronto goal. Rating: 6
D-Tim Ream: No major gaffes in a hostile environment is a huge plus for the rookie, who won his individual battles. Didn’t like his header on a corner kick clearance in the first half, when Toronto pounced and hit an effort off the woodwork – should have played that ball out or wide. Rating: 6.5
D-Roy Miller: The left back moved forward well, but must strike better crosses then his looping efforts. Still, a good all around game by Miller. Rating: 6
M- Dane Richards: A true sizzler by the winger, who got forward well, hit quality crosses and made smart decisions on the ball. He’s earning raves from his teammates. Rating: 7.5
M-Tony Tchani: A true blend of hard tackling and creative ball play by the rookie, who is proving to be a savvy player. A complete performance. Rating: 7
M-Rafa Marquez: From the first goal, a real blistering effort, to his efforts on a set piece that led to a first half goal, Marquez was terrific. Lost in the goals was his class distribution and hard work in running the midfield. Rating: 8.5
M- Joel Lindpere: While clearly not comfortable on the wing, Lindpere got up and down the left side and timed his runs very well. His crosses must improve but he’s a central player who is out of position and making the best of it. Still added plenty to the offense. Rating: 6.5
F- Thierry Henry: His run in the second half made the Toronto FC handball necessary to keep him from scoring. Had two good chances to score in the first half as we still wait for his first league goal. Smart runs and deft touches, however, have improved the team’s offense dramatically. Rating: 6.5
F-Juan Pablo Angel: He’s smiled more in the past month than he did all of the last three seasons in New York… combined. Angel looked dangerous all game long, and did well on his penalty kick effort. Rating: 7
Substitutions
F-Salou Ibrahim: Won some good balls and made smart decisions while holding possession, but should have buried a good second half effort in front of the area. Rating: 6
F-Carl Robinson: A well-taken goal as he returns to his Toronto home, a place where he was twice named team MVP. Pure class to not celebrate, even as his teammates mobbed him. Beyond the goal, he ran the midfield without a hitch. Rating: 7
Kristian R. Dyer can be reached for comment at KristianRDyer@yahoo.com and followed at twitter.com/kdyer1012
