TORONTO (AP) – Two teams in identical positions head into BMO Field on Friday as Sporting Kansas City and Toronto FC finish the first month of the new MLS season.
Both are coming off bye weeks and have a win and two draws in their first three games.
Toronto FC, however, will be playing its home opener and competes in its first game at BMO Field since its heart-breaking defeat in last season’s MLS Cup Final.
“(BMO Field) is a field that we want to make a fortress and we know the city wants it to happen and the fans want it to happen,” defender Drew Moor said. “We’re right there with them. It needs to be a place that’s very difficult to come in and believe that you’re going to get anything, and it starts for us on Friday night.”
The week off benefited Toronto as it gave star forward Sebastian Giovinco the chance to overcome a thigh injury sustained in Philadelphia earlier this month. Without him, the team survived its trip to Vancouver heading into the bye and picked up its first win of the season.
Sporting Kansas City will have manage the playing time of its U.S. internationals as Matt Besler and Graham Zusi are returning from World Cup qualifying duty.
Toronto faces a similar situation with Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore and Panama’s Armando Cooper only getting back into the city recently after Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier, which was played in Panama City.
Regardless of who plays, however, Sporting Kansas City will be facing a deep team that will be motivated at home.
“They’re going to come out flying, I would imagine,” Ike Opara said. “We have to kind of match their energy if not up our level of play, as well. Obviously, they’ve got some very good attackers and with Bradley distributing the ball. They’re going to cause a lot of problems, but they’ll leave a space for us to counter their actions.”
Toronto only lost three times in the regular season in 2016, however Sporting Kansas City picked up a 3-1 win in the last meeting at BMO Field in 2015.
