TFC and Benfica Play to a Draw (Hey, it Wasn’t Entirely Their Reserve Squad)

By: Sam | May 23rd, 2007

There it is, folks, our first international friendly. All those fools, focused on the Champions League final when Toronto FC and Benfica were duking it out at BMO Field. Don’t you just pity them? I sure do. I mean, who wants to see the so-anticipated match two years after the famous Istanbul game when you can see a few noted players such as Manu and Rui Costa take on Toronto, which wasn’t even fielding their best to start the game? Please.

In front of a crowd of over 18,000, in a crazy first half that saw exactly zero (0) shots on goal, the teams were definitely going at it, by no means a friendly. Three shots by Benfica in the second half were all that are worth writing down. I didn’t see the game, and sure, drawing Benfica is honourable, but yawn.

Category: Match reports, Toronto FC

Tags: Benfica, Friendly, Match reports, Nuno Gomes, Rui Costa, Simao, Toronto FC

« If You don’t vote for Toronto Players on MLSnet, You’re Liable to Die one Day | Home | Cunning Cunningham Arrives, Pesky Esky Departs »

Subscribe   The Offside RSS Feeds

Print

Share

Comments  

• Martha |  May 24th, 2007 at 11:40 am

  
  
  

  Hey Sam, did Rui Costa play? I know he’s made the trip, but I’m not hauling my ass out to the Meadowlands this weekend if he’s not going to be on the pitch. I don’t care if all the rest are youth players, I wanna see my Rui.

  Posted from United States

  

• Sam |  May 24th, 2007 at 11:52 am

  
  
  

  He certainly did play, Martha, 87 minutes to be exact. I hope the game against the Bulls will be more exciting.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Martha |  May 24th, 2007 at 1:16 pm

  
  
  

  Hurrah! As long as you people didn’t hurt him, that does bode well for this weekend’s match.

  Have you heard anything up there about Juve coming this summer?

  Posted from United States

  

• JM - Still Kicking |  May 24th, 2007 at 2:09 pm

  
  
  

  Just a little concerned that the report on the game was negative and you admit that you didn’t see it. It was well played, fast and frenetic and more of a tilt than one would have expected. Both sides truly seemed to want a result. The only TFC players that did not see the field were Boyens and Robinson (who are off to play with their international teams) and Cunningham who has just arrived. I know Benfica rested a few (Nuno Gomes for one) but it was an excellent game and a night of atmosphere.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Sam |  May 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm

  
  
  

  I’ll take your word for it, JM. I liked your summary as well.

  Posted from Canada

  

• colman1860 |  May 24th, 2007 at 6:28 pm

  
  
  

  It wasnt bad…miccoli played the whole match, and judging by Rui Costa’s constant complaining to the referee and screaming at his teammates he actually wanted a result. But whats this Juve business? I dont speak Italian, but what I was able to gather sounds amazing.

  Posted from Canada

  

• soze |  May 24th, 2007 at 7:02 pm

  
  
  

  Nuno Gomes, Petit, Luisao and Simao are all injured and therefore did not play. They would have been here had it not been for that….

  And as JM stated, the game was actually pretty good, fast paced…not at all a stroll on the pitch. Toronto really lacks an attacking foreward though. I hope Cunningham will provide a bit more inspiration up front.

  Posted from United States

  

Comments are closed