Toronto FC forward Federico Bernardeschi (10) shoots on Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady (34) as Kendall Burks (27) and Rafael Czichos (5) defend during first half MLS soccer action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – With Italian star Federico Bernardeschi back in the starting lineup, Toronto FC played the Chicago Fire to a scoreless draw Wednesday in MLS play.
Toronto (3-5-8) had its chances in an entertaining but scoreless first half in which it had a 10-2 edge in shots (5-0 in shots on target) on Chicago (3-4-8).
The second half was somewhat sloppier from both sides.
Chicago produced few chances and was credited with just one shot on target.
Bernardeschi was benched for Saturday’s 2-1 win over visiting D.C. United.
He’d criticized the team’s tactics following a 1-0 loss in Austin the previous week.
But the 29-year-old returned to training this week and was back on the wing Wednesday.
Bernardeschi was greeted by cheers and a smattering of boos during the pre-game introductions at BMO Field.
Toronto coach Bob Bradley was booed in a second straight home game.
The Italian drew more cheers in the 23rd minute when, after taking a long ball from Kosi Thompson, he beat two defenders to force an acrobatic save from Chris Brady.
Minutes later, the 19-year-old Chicago ‘keeper made another fine stop to deny Thompson only to be injured trying to corral the rebound when his head connected with Deandre Kerr’s knee.
Brady was cut and replaced by backup Spencer Richey, a former Vancouver Whitecap, in the 30th minute.
Bernardeschi beat plenty of Fire defenders on the evening and also showed some effort in the defensive end, which is not his forte.
He exited to applause in the 85th minute, shaking hands with Bradley as he reached the bench.
Toronto has won just two of its last 13 games (2-5-6) in all competitions.
But despite its 14th-place position in the Eastern Conference, it came into midweek play just two points out of a playoff position.
TFC has lost just one of nine home games (3-1-5) this season, but is winless on the road (0-4-3).
Chicago blew a 2-0 lead on the weekend at New England, having to settle for a 3-3 tie after conceding an 83rd-minute goal to former Toronto striker Jozy Altidore.
The Fire came into Wednesday’s game having lost just once in six games in all competitions (3-1-2) since parting ways with coach Ezra Henrickson on May 8.
Former Montreal coach Frank Klopas has been put in charge of Chicago for the duration of the season.
Toronto may have unwittingly provided bulletin-board fodder for the Fire with a social media post of Lorenzo Insigne and Mark-Anthony Kaye in firefighter gear over the headline “Tame the flame.”
Wednesday’s game featured the two highest-paid players in the league, according to the MLS Players Association, in Chicago’s Xherdan Shaqiri (US$8.15 million this season) and Insigne (US$7.5 million).
Shaqiri had assists in four of Chicago’s previous five games. Insigne set up both Toronto goals in Saturday’s win.
Kickoff temperature after a sizzling day in Toronto was 28 degrees Celsius.
Chicago came close in the 10th minute with Kendall Burks’ header just wide off a well-placed Shaqiri free kick.
A minute later, Insigne curled a shot just wide from a sharp angle
At the other end, Kei Kamara’s header off a Chicago corner flashed wide in the 22nd minute.
Toronto came close in the dying minutes of the half with a sliding Kerr denied before Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty was stopped by Richey after a poor clearance.
Largely due to the Brady injury, there were six minutes of injury time at the end of the first half.
Toronto ‘keeper Sean Johnson had to be sharp to get a hand to a deflected Kei Kamara shot in the 49th minute.
Five minutes later, Bernardeschi fired a free kick over the target.
Kaye couldn’t get to a pinball-like ball in the Chicago penalty box from a Bernardeshi corner in the 77th minute.
An Insigne free kick was also off the mark in the 89th.
Thompson, who scored against D.C, and Bernardeschi came into the TFC starting lineup for Brandon Servania and CJ Sapong.
There were six Canadians in TFC’s starting 11.
Toronto was without injured defender Shane O’Neill, midfielders Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio, Alonso Coello and Victor Vazquez and forward Adama Diomande.
Toronto has not lost to Chicago at BMO Field in 12 straight games (7-0-5) dating back to 2013.
That’s TFC’s longest home unbeaten run against a single opponent in club history.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2023
