There is a reason Toronto FC has spent the better part of this season running into defensive walls: offer the Reds too much leeway and the opposition knows it will pay.
Parking the bus has proven an effective tactic against the reigning Eastern Conference champions so far this year, holding TFC to one loss, four ties and a solitary win. Striker Sebastian Giovinco has borne the brunt of the defensive clampdown, restricting him to just one goal in his first five games.
But on Friday night, the Chicago Fire came to play. Riding high with a 3-1-2 record to start the season and led by one of the league’s hottest new stars in Bastian Schweinsteiger, it was obvious from the get-go the Fire weren’t looking to play it safe.