By Canadian Press

TFC looks to improve playoff seeding against desperate Chicago Fire side

Sep 27, 2019 | 4:51 PM

Toronto FC has plenty to play for over its final two regular-season games even though the team has already locked up an Eastern Conference post-season spot.

A home playoff date is still a possibility for the sixth-place squad entering its final road game of the regular season Sunday in Chicago against the Fire.

“Nothing changes for us. We don’t want to take our foot off the gas,” Toronto coach Greg Vanney said Friday. “We don’t want to do anything other than keep pressing forward as we finish this regular season and move towards the playoffs.”

Toronto is unbeaten in eight games in Major League Soccer play, a stretch dating back to a 2-0 road loss to the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 3.

Tighter defensive play and a more consistent attack have helped the team get back on track after an uneven first half of the regular season.

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Entering Sunday’s games, Toronto is one point behind the New York Red Bulls and two back of fourth-place D.C. United. 

The MLS playoffs have a different look this year with 14 teams making the cut instead of 12. The top seeds in each conference get a bye with all playoff games now single-elimination matchups hosted by the higher seed.

The Fire are in must-win mode as they sit five points behind the seventh-place New England Revolution with two games left to play.

Toronto goalkeeper Quentin Westberg said the playoff-like intensity at Seatgeek Stadium will be good for both teams.

“It’s going to be interesting for us because it could be a playoff setup for them also,” he said after the team’s one-hour practice session. “It’s a win or die kind of situation for them. So it’s good to be able to work on that for us.”

The Reds are coming off a disappointing result in the Canadian Championship — a 3-1 loss on penalty kicks to Montreal — but controlled most of the game and scored the lone goal in the final’s second leg Wednesday night.

The Impact earned a 2020 CONCACAF Champions League berth with the victory. Toronto FC can still get back to the tournament but will need to win the MLS title to qualify.

Toronto will close out its regular season at home Oct. 6 against the Columbus Crew.

“We have to win games no matter how the games look,” Vanney said. “Whether we have the ball or don’t have the ball, we still have to be effective to find the right way to win games no matter what.

“That’s what the playoffs look like.”

The Reds reached the MLS Cup final for the first time in 2016 but lost to Seattle on penalty kicks. Toronto won the championship rematch against the Sounders in 2017 but missed the playoffs last year.

Chicago’s regular-season finale is at Orlando City on Oct. 6.

TORONTO FC (12-10-10) at CHICAGO FIRE (9-12-11)

Sunday, SeatGeek Stadium 

MINUTE MANAGEMENT: Winger Nicholas Benezet has trained the last couple days and will likely see some minutes against the Fire. He has been out for the last week with a hip injury. 

PREVIOUS MEETING: Toronto and Chicago played to a 2-2 tie in their only other meeting this season on April 6 at BMO Field. The Fire extended their unbeaten streak to three games last weekend with a 0-0 draw against FC Cincinnati.

GEEK OUT: It could be the last time the Fire play at SeatGeek Stadium. The team is expected to move back to Soldier Field next year, although an official announcement has not been made.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2019.

Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press