BMO Field readies for first ever CONCACAF home and home
By Lance Hornby, Sun Media
Last Updated: 28th July 2009, 2:20pm
There will be seats for about 1,000 more fans at BMO Field for upcoming games against the Puerto Rico Islanders and Real Madrid, while a couple of injured Toronto FC players will be on the bench as the team starts a busy stretch of four games in nine days.
Coach Chris Cummins expects he’ll be without defender Adrian Serioux and attacking midfielder Amado Guevara for Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League game against Puerto Rico. Scoring threat Guevara is the trickiest injury, a muscle pull below his rib cage. Both players roamed the sidelines yesterday at practice and there is no sign of defender Nana Attakora, either, after he was involved in a collision in a recent MLS loss in Columbus.
“It’s very disappointing with these injuries, but with the amount of games coming up, if we bring (Guevara) back too early, he could be out longer.” Cummins said. “But it gives some other lads a chance.”
After Wednesday, TFC is on the road for an MLS game Saturday against the New England Revolution, then the second leg of the Puerto Rico series on Tuesday, followed by a quick turnaround home for Friday’s historic match against the famous Madrid squad.
Temporary stands have been ereceted at the north end of BMO to handle 900 to 1,000 more fans, which would bring capacity to more than 21,000, though part of the popular standing room beer garden will be open.
The game against the Islanders, already a sellout, is Toronto’s first ever foray into CONCACAF action.
“If we beat them here and in Puerto Rico, we’re in the (CONCACAF) group stages and then we get to go to Mexico and other places,” captain Jim Brennan said.
