Dwayne De Rosario has performed as advertised since coming over to Toronto FC in a high-profile off-season trade.
The Scarborough native is tied for the team lead in goals with five, has added three assists and is a big reason TFC sits tied for first place in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer.
The 31-year-old was recognized for his accomplishments yesterday by being named to the MLS All-Star First XI, which is set to play Everton FC of the English Premier League on July 29 in Salt Lake City.
But the all-star selection, De Rosario’s fourth straight, will take a back seat to his club duties as he’s expected to confirm today that he will skip the game for a TFC match against the Puerto Rico Islanders.
That game, scheduled the same night at BMO Field, is the first of a two-game competition against Puerto Rico, which will determine who continues to play in the CONCACAF Champions League.
TFC comes in as Canadian champions after edging out the Vancouver Whitecaps on goal differential. They clinched the title in the three-team competition last month in Montreal with a 6-1 victory in which De Rosario scored the first hat trick in team history.
Daniel Girard/ thestar.com
