The Canadian press
Teenager Caden Clark plays New York Red Bulls beats Toronto FC
HARRISON, New Jersey – Teenager Caden Clark helped score a goal and scored the following Saturday when the New York Red Bulls lost to Toronto 2-0 in the MLS game. Toronto (0-2-1) has now won just one of its first seven games (1-4-2) in all competitions in 2021, albeit against good opposition and an extensive list of injuries following a pandemic-disrupted pre-season. Newly signed Venezuelan international Jefferson Soteldo, signed for $ 6 million, made his TFC debut from the bench in the 56th minute. The 23-year-old, wearing the number 30, tucked behind striker Ayo Aquinola, but had little chance to show his skills. Toronto needed an offensive spark, missing its other two specific players – Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo (thigh) and star striker Josie Altidor (illness). TFC managed with just one shot on target. Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel spent a quiet afternoon. New Yorkers (2-2-0) improved on their Red Bull Arena record against Toronto to 11-1-2, beating TFC 32-8 by eight clean sheets. Frankie Amaya also scored for the Red Bulls, his first for the club since arriving from Cincinnati FC in April. The game was a match of hard-pressed parties who wanted to force the opposition into mistakes and then strike fast after winning the ball back. The Red Bulls continued in the 32nd minute after Clark stole the ball from Mark Delgado and headed for the door of Toronto. He found Fabio and the Brazilian striker, who released him for Amaya, whose low traffic shot beat Alex Bono from the edge of the penalty area. Clark scored 2-0 in the 69th, stabbing the ball after Fabio beat Bono until Drew’s pass. The teenager has scored in three of New York’s four games this season and has increased his MLS career goals to five in just 11 games. One of those goals was a spectacular strike against Toronto last October, raising the Red Bulls to a 1-1 draw. The goal came in his second career game – four days after opening his debut account just hours after signing his first contract. team. Toronto lost to Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the quarterfinals of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. He lost his MLS team 4-2 to CF Montreal before leveling the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2. The Red Bulls knocked down Chicago 2-0 for the last time after finding losses to Sporting Kansas City and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Saturday’s game marks a return to Red Bull Arena for Toronto general manager Ali Curtis, head coach Chris Armas and assistant coach Juan Sharp, who all worked for the Red Bulls. Curtis spent six years there, including 2 1/2 as a head coach. A limited number of fans were at the venue on Saturday. Armas made three changes to the squad, which lost 1-0 to Cruz Azul on Tuesday, with Brazilian Auro and 18-year-olds Ralph Prizo and Jaden Nelson joining Justin Morrow, Jacob Schaefeburg and Jonathan Osorio. It was the third start in his career for both Prizo and Nelson. Osorio, who had ice on his thigh after coming out of Cruz Azul’s game at half-time, did not get dressed. The Red Bulls lacked midfielders Florian Valotte (knee) and Yuba Diara (hamstring) and newly signed player Patrick Klimala (visa) and fellow striker Tom Barlow (thigh). Toronto’s pressure created early problems for the Red Bulls. But TFC didn’t help his cause with a few handouts. Bono dealt with Brian White’s header after a fine cross by Andrew Gutman in the sixth minute. At the other end, Aquinola fired just wide two minutes later after an attempt to clear the Red Bulls deflected him into the penalty area. Nelson was out of action in the 11th minute after another turn of the Red Bulls due to the press in Toronto. TFC captain Michael Bradley had to clear the ball in a safe place after Clark made a dangerous free kick in a crowd of players in the penalty area of Toronto in the 14th minute. Fabio came close to 34th when a fine cross found him between defenders at the gates of Toronto. But he could not control it and the ball bounced wide of his body. The Red Bulls came out of the break with some intensity, pressing Toronto. NOTES: Toronto faces defensive champion Columbus in Orlando on Wednesday before visiting New York City next Saturday. Newly-acquired TFC defender Kemar Lawrence was not available on Saturday, still undergoing quarantine following his transfer from Belgian Anderlecht. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 8, 2021. The Canadian Press