Toronto FC's Guevara to miss crucial game
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 6, 2009 | 6:39 PM ET
By John F. Molinaro, CBC Sports
Amado Guevara, left, ranks second in scoring for Toronto FC with five goals this season. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins would love to have influential playmaker Amado Guevara in the starting lineup when his team hosts the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 4 p.m. ET).
Unfortunately, Guevara will be away on international duty as Honduras plays a pair of crucial World Cup qualifying games on Saturday (at home against the United States) and on Oct. 14 (in El Salvador).
Guevara is suspended for the game against the U.S., but he still won't be available to play for Toronto because of FIFA rules that stipulate the release of players from their pro clubs for international games.
"He is suspended for their first match but [he'll be] away [because] you have to release him five days before, and they have another game on Wednesday," Cummins said.
"He's the captain of Honduras and this will be the biggest time of his life if they qualify for the World Cup so it would be unfair of us to stop him doing that."
The absence of Guevara, who is tied for second in team scoring with five goals this season, couldn't come at a worse time for Cummins.
Toronto sits 10th overall in the Major League Soccer standings with 35 points — three behind the New England Revolution and the eighth and final playoff spot.
Both teams have three games left in the season and the general belief is that Toronto will have to win all three to have a shot at claiming its first-ever post-season berth.
A loss against San Jose wouldn't eliminate Toronto from playoff contention, but it would deal a serious blow to the club's fledgling post-season aspirations. Without the talented Honduran in the lineup, the task of earning three points against the Earthquakes is that much more difficult.
But Cummins believes Toronto has enough midfield depth to survive the absence of Guevara, especially with Welsh midfielder Carl Robinson on the mend from a niggling ankle injury.
"We're blessed with a lot of central midfielders, so it won't be a case of me struggling [to replace him]. Carl Robinson is back, his ankle is better, so we have options," Cummins said.
With Guevara unavailable, Cummins might tinker with the 4-4-2 formation that he normally employs.
"We might go 3-5-2 [against San Jose] and play with a bit more aggression and a bit more strength going forward," Cummins said.
"Amado is tough to replace because of the ability he has to create goals, but there's enough ability in the team [for someone else] to come in and step into his shoes."
Toronto FC hosts Real Salt Lake on Oct. 17 (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 4 p.m. ET) before closing out the season on the road against the New York Red Bulls the following Saturday.
