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Toronto FC settles for draw, hurts playoff chances

Oct 10, 2009 - 11:37 PM By IAN HARRISON STATS MLS Correspondent

TORONTO -- By giving up another late goal, Toronto FC watched a potential win turn into a tie, one that felt like a disappointing loss.

Cornell Glen scored in injury-time and the San Jose Earthquakes earned a 1-all draw with Toronto on Saturday, dealing a major blow to Toronto's playoff hopes.

"We can't blame anyone but ourselves," Toronto defender Nana Attakora said. "We knew we needed to win and we couldn't do it."

It's the MLS-leading 15th time Toronto has allowed a goal after the 75th minute. San Jose has allowed 12 goals in the same situation.

"We're both kind of bad at (late defending) so there was going to be a goal in there somewhere," San Jose coach Frank Yallop said.

Glen's 93rd-minute strike, a powerful volley over the head of former Earthquakes defender Nick Garcia, evened the score as Toronto failed to hold the lead provided by Attakora's goal in the 47th minute.

"We've given an awful goal away," Toronto coach Chris Cummins said. "I'm fuming with the goal. I sensed it coming, we dropped deep and got sloppy with people out of position."

The draw gave Toronto (9-10-9) a franchise-record 36 points but it is still two points behind New England for the eighth and final playoff spot with two matches remaining.

"By the numbers we're not out of it but it definitely feels like it right now," Toronto forward Chad Barrett said. "Obviously it's a huge loss, even though it was a tie."

Toronto hosts Real Salt Lake on Oct. 17, then wraps up the regular season Oct. 24 at New York.

San Jose (7-13-8), at the bottom of the Western Conference, was eliminated from playoff contention with Wednesday's home loss to Dallas, its only defeat in six matches.

"The squad is growing, the confidence is starting to get there," Yallop said. "The chemistry is good, they want to do well for each other and that's huge, it makes a difference."

After a scoreless first half, Toronto broke through two minutes after the restart. Dwayne De Rosario's long cross rolled all the way through the penalty area and past San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who chose to stay back, allowing Attakora to tap in at the far post for his second goal of the season.

"We kind of went to sleep a bit at the back post," Yallop said. "I think (defender Chris Leitch) sees Joe going to it and then kind of switches off a little bit. That was a great ball, though, and a good finish. It was a good goal by them."

With San Jose pressing in injury time, a cross bounced off Attakora's head and straight to the feet of an unmarked Glen, who sent home the tying goal.

"I thought maybe if I cheat a bit and stay at the far post, it might come to me and exactly that happened," Glen said.

Held out of training for the past four weeks because of a partially torn knee ligament, Glen entered in the 77th minute for midfielder Shea Salinas.

"He's dangerous around the goal," Yallop said of Glen. "That's what he is, he's a finisher. When he does get chances, he tends to score."

With regular goaltender Stefan Frei sidelined with a dislocated finger, Toronto's Brian Edwards made his first appearance of the season, recording two saves.

Toronto was without three other starters, including midfielder Amado Guevara, away on international duty with Honduras, midfielder Carl Robinson, out for the season with a facial fracture, and defender Marvell Wynne, who has a thigh strain.

San Jose was also depleted, playing without three midfielders, including two starters. Arturo Alvarez and Ramon Sanchez are on international duty with El Salvador while backup Simon Elliot is with New Zealand.

For the second time this season, Toronto wore pink jerseys in support of a breast cancer awareness charity. But in his home debut, Julian De Guzman's name was misspelled on the back his jersey, which read De GUZMNA. The Canadian international midfielder changed into a new, correctly spelled jersey for the second half.