Toronto

Toronto FC looks to bounce back vs. New England (Sep 23, 2017)

Published Sep. 22, 2017 8:03 p.m. ET

Just three days after its first lost in almost three months, Toronto FC has a quick chance to get back in the win column as it visits a New England Revolution team in transition.

Toronto lost 5-3 to the Montreal Impact on Wednesday night to have its six-game winning and 11-game winless run come to an end while falling for the first time at home this season. But now it visits a New England team seven points outside of the Eastern Conference playoff standings that just fired head coach Jay Heaps.

Toronto hadn't lost since July 1 before Wednesday's setback.

"There's still positivity, obviously. We're all just trying to discuss it in small groups and put it behind us," said defender Drew Moor of his team's reaction to just its fourth loss of the MLS campaign.

"The mood has very quickly turned to New England, which we feel is a game where if we go play TFC football and play the soccer we've been playing all season, we should be confident to get three points."

New England fired Heaps on Tuesday after he had spent the last 15 years as a player and coach with the club.

The last six years of his time with the organization was as head coach, and now Tom Soehn will take over on an interim basis. New England beat Toronto 3-0 on June 3, when they last met at Gillette Stadium.

"It's been a real tough couple of days for the staff. Obviously, our staff is real close and losing Jay feels like you're losing part of the family," said Soehn, who will guide the Revolution for the final five games in a season likely destined to finish outside the playoffs.

"All you can ask is that for five games we pull together as a group and use that hard feeling we have in our hearts to bond and come together as a group. We still have a chance, so you have to take advantage of that."

Toronto FC will still be without its biggest attacking threats as Jozy Altidore (hamstring) and Sebastian Giovinco (quad) are both being rested for the game. Benoit Cheyrou (calf) and Nick Hagglund (knee) are also out while Victor Vazquez could return after being ill in midweek.

New England will only be missing midfielder Kelyn Rowe (knee).

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