Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston returns to Giants Stadium on Sunday, hoping his team can overcome several key absences and halt its season-high winless streak when it meets the New York Red Bulls - Johnston's former club.
Toronto is listed as a +350 underdog on bodog.com with the Red Bulls coming in at -140. The draw is set at +230.
Johnston was a star forward for Scotland, Celtic and Rangers before moving to MLS to play for Kansas City from 1996-2001, and was named interim coach of the then-MetroStars after Bob Bradley was dismissed with three games left in the 2005 season. Johnston guided the team to a 2-0-1 mark and helped it clinch a playoff berth after the controversial firing, and was rewarded with a one-year contract.
Last year, Johnston led New York to a 2-3-7 record before being fired amid his reported interviewing with expansion Toronto. The Red Bulls supposedly knew of the interview, but dismissed Johnston after he informed the players, something New York didn't want.
Shortly after his dismissal, he was named Toronto's first coach.
Johnston and Toronto came up short in their first matchup with New York, losing 2-1 at home June 6.
Johnston will be without a number of key players as Toronto (5-9-5) returns to Giants Stadium for the first time since his departure. Goalkeeper Greg Sutton (concussion), midfielder Ronnie O'Brien (knee) and forward Jeff Cunningham (adductor) won't play, and two other starters, forward Danny Dichio (hip flexor) and defender Marvell Wynne (hamstring), are doubtful.
Toronto will try to withstand the absences and snap a five-game win drought after settling for a scoreless tie with Los Angeles last Sunday. The effort followed a 3-0 rout at the hands of Chicago on July 29 that prompted Johnston to challenge his players.
"I think they responded," he said. "They competed for the full 90 minutes, we should have won the game, but that's the way soccer is. The number of chances we had tonight we surely should've had some points. I felt we were the better team."
With Sutton potentially out for the remainder of the season, Johnston is expected to use Kenny Stamatopoulos in goal for a second consecutive game. The Canadian national team player made one save against the Galaxy in his MLS debut after joining the team two days earlier on loan from Tromso of the Norwegian Tippeligaen.
"We addressed the goalkeeping situation," Johnston said. "It's unfortunate for Greg Sutton, but Stamatopolous came in and performed well under the circumstances, and we're looking forward to him coming in and establishing himself to the end of the season."
Stamatopolous might receive more of a test from New York (8-7-3), which is coming off a 16-day layoff after losing 2-0 to Chivas USA on July 26 - a defeat that dropped it to 2-4-0 in the last six games.
The Red Bulls have struggled to find the net during the inconsistent stretch, getting outscored 8-2 with both goals coming from forward John Wolyniec.
New York star forward Juan Pablo Angel, who leads the team with nine goals in 12 games, is on a five-game scoring drought. He recorded all of his goals during a six-match stretch from May 19-June 16, including two goals against Toronto in the June 6 game.
"You're not going to score every game and I know that," Angel said after the loss to Chivas. "I'm not disappointed because we were still able to create some chances even though most of them were off set pieces, the chances were still there. I'd be worried if I didn't get the chances."
The Bulls could be without midfielder Dema Kovalenko for the remainder of the season due to facial injuries suffered in a car accident last week.