Friday, April 25, 2008

Headed to the Great White North

The Wizards continue their 6 game road trip tomorrow in Canada, where they'll take on Toronto FC. Last year the Wizards helped open BMO Field, when Eddie Johnson scored the first goal at the stadium, and the game winner to give the Wizards a 1-0 win in Toronto.

Since then, the TFC supporters have helped to make BMO Field a fortress. They will be a lot harder to play up there then they were last year. Toronto's squad has improved as well, including signing former MLS MVP Amado Guevara and former French international, Laurent Robert recently. Both have helped to pay dividends for the club. It will be a fight for the Wizards.

I'm expecting the same lineup that we saw start the game against Chicago last weekend, it served Coach Onalfo well, and with Carlos Marinelli not completely recovered (and his history on turf), I expect we'll see Kurt Morsink take up the offensive midfield role. The only possible change is if Onalfo wants to have Sasha Victorine out there from the start this week for Roger Espinoza.

Hartman
Myers - Wahl - Conrad - Harrington
Zavagnin
Jewsbury - Morsink - Espinoza
Lopez - Sealy

PREDICTION
While the Wizards won last week, they weren't overly impressive, having to do way to much defending against the Fire. If they play like that against the improved Toronto side, they won't win the game. This game worries me, as Toronto has gotten stronger as the young season has progressed. I originally predicted a draw for this match and I'll stick with that prediction.

KC - 1 (Lopez)
TFC - 1 (Dichio)
at

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous4/25/2008 08:37:00 PM

    I agree with your outcome, 1-1 is a safe bet and a good outcome for the wiz.

    I don't foresee Espinoza sitting the bench, specially as well as he has been doing.

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  2. Anonymous4/25/2008 08:58:00 PM

    Hey any word on the open try-out winner Kevin Souter? my friend who is in the Graceland team said they would be signing him soon, but I thought the team was full?

    PS how much longer will Marinelli be out for?

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  3. Mike4/25/2008 09:28:00 PM

    I haven't heard anything lately on Souter. There were rumors that another MLS team was interested in signing him, but haven't heard anything on who that might be. Yes the roster is full now, Yomby William got the last roster spot. That said, it doesn't mean they can't waive someone to pick up another player.

    Marinelli was practicing yesterday according to one of the guys that went out to practice and Onalfo said at his press conference that he'd be on the bench for the game tomorrow, which is why I didn't put him in the starting lineup for the game.

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  4. Anonymous4/25/2008 11:48:00 PM

    Well I guess I owe my buddy a beer, I thought it was too late to sign people!

    Is going to be a tough one up north, we really could use Marinelli.

    Thanks for the reply Mike

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  5. Mike4/26/2008 09:18:00 AM

    Well it is too late to sign players that are on another team, the transfer window for MLS is closed. But it's not too late to sign players that are not with a team at all (aka Souter).

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