It has been a good couple of weeks for Toronto defender Drew Moor. After welcoming his newborn child Joseph to the BMO faithful on Saturday night, he popped up in the 76th minute to score the game winner with a diving header to give TFC a 1-0 win over the LA Galaxy.
Both teams fielded depleted squads due to injuries and international duty, but Toronto benefitted from the return of talisman Sebastian Giovinco to fitness after he left the team's previous match due to injury. TFC also handed a first start to homegrown striker Jordan Hamilton, while midfielder Benoit Cheyrou slid back into midfield for his first start since early April, taking over as marshall in front of the back line in Michael Bradley's absence. The Galaxy, without Gyassi Zardes and Robbie Keane due to Copa America Centenario and the European Championships, respectively, were also without midfielder Steven Gerrard and striker Giovani dos Santos, who both reportedly have picked up injuries of late.
Both teams entered the game winless in their past four matches, and that lack of form showed as the chances were few and far between. Cheyrou and Giovinco both had moments of fine play, which gave the home side the edge in possession and chances created, but the European duo were unable to orchestrate the breakthrough until the game's final quarter of an hour.
After a good bout of possession, the ball fell to Cheyrou 40 yards from goal, and the Frenchman played a perfect curled cross into the box to defender Eriq Zavaleta. Zavaleta flicked it on in traffic to Moor at the back post, whose diving header back across goal showed the poise of a striker.
Box Score
- 76' - Moor (Zavaleta, Cheyrou)
- Full box score
- Stats
Next Up
- TOR: Tuesday, June 21 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7:30 pm ET, TSN, MLS LIVE)
- LA: Saturday, June 25 at San Jose Earthquakes (10 pm ET, MLS LIVE)
