MLS week 29: Chicago Fire 1-2 Toronto FC
In a very contested Eastern Conference, Toronto FC leads both New York clubs [NYCFC, NYRB] to a short margin but with one game in hands.
Coach Greg Vanney comments on the win
On coming back from the loss vs. Montreal
“Very important, I think we’ve done a very good job this year, and the guys have done a very good job of rebounding after a loss and responding in a good way. It’s important to them, as they stepped out onto the field today, that they had a good response to last week. This has been a tough place for us over the course of the last ten years or so, I don’t think we’ve ever won here. We’re pleased with that, we knew it was going to be a battle. This is a Chicago team that I think is playing very well and is finding their footing. We knew it was going to be a challenge, and it was till the end.”
On Jozy Altidore’s importance
“Extremely important, Jozy does a lot for us on the field, on both sides of the ball, attacking and defending. Obviously, he’s a guy that can hold up the ball, he’s strong. Today, it was he and Tosaint [Ricketts] who had a nice partnership, and really worked, I thought, the back line all the way across. On other days, it’s he and Sebastian [Giovinco] who are a very good pair. This is the first time, I think, Tosaint and Jozy have ever played together, so it was a good first outing for the two of them. He brings so much to our group, from his personality to what he does for us on the field on both sides of the ball. It’s great to have him scoring goals, I know it feels great. He’s in a good place, and it’s up to us to keep working with him to make sure that he stays there. I think we’ve got the right answers for that now.”
On continuity
“I think it’s important that we continue to get guys healthy and get some continuity in our group, and get some continuity here down the end, and try to get as many minutes with our partnerships on the field. Seba-Jozy is obviously one of those partnerships, also our midfield crew getting on the field together, and getting ourselves acclimated to one another, because we missed a lot of guys through injury and through international call-ups and various things over the course of the summer. We just haven’t had a ton of matches together in this middle stretch, but we’ve been able to get results, which is a good thing. For us now it’s getting healthy, staying healthy, and building some continuity and continuing to improve upon our performances.”
