Toronto FC coach disagrees with Altidore ban but says club will make do

TORONTO — An unhappy Greg Vanney decried MLS’s decision to hand Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore an additional one-game ban but said his team will have to make do.

Altidore, who sat out TFC’s 1-1 tie in San Jose on the weekend in the wake of an Aug. 12 red card against New York City FC., lost his appeal of the MLS Disciplinary Committee decision to double the one-game suspension.

His ejection meant Toronto was reduced to 10 men for the final 79 minutes of the 3-2 loss to NYCFC. Vanney said given the time at which Altidore was sent off, the ban essentially amounts to three games.

“It’s a harsh suspension,” Vanney said after training Thursday. “I don’t agree with it. But like we do with everything this year, we’ll manage it and we’ll get through it.”

Altidore was caught in possession by defender Alexander Callens and, feeling he had been fouled, retaliated by kicking out at the Peruvian international who had lost the ball. Callens went down in front of the assistant referee, prompting referee Hilario Grajeda to produce the red card.

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Vanney called it a “moment of emotion.”

“I’ve seen millions of those and I saw it even in that match when (Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osorio) got kicked out at,” he added.

In the aftermath of the red card, Altidore conceded he can’t react like that.

“And that’s it. So you learn from it and you move on.”

Altidore’s firepower would have been welcome Saturday when the Montreal Impact (10-13-3) come to town. With 10 games remaining, Toronto (6-12-6) is nine points out of the Eastern Conference’s sixth and last playoff spot currently held by Montreal.

“I don’t think it’s (win) this game or we’re out but I think it’s very close,” said Vanney.

Vanney said the team likely needs to win “at least seven” of its remaining 10 games to get into the playoffs, with points needed from the six home contests.

Vanney says the team is awaiting word on Spanish playmaker Victor Vazquez, who had a cortisone shot in his knee this week. Defender Chris Mavinga (hamstring) is also being monitored after feeling tightness from his last outing. Brazilian wingback Auro (hamstring) is out.

The good news is star striker Sebastian Giovinco, who saw limited action in San Jose due to a sore groin, is good to go. Vanney can also deploy newcomer Lucas Janson at forward.

The Canadian Press