Toronto, Jul 19: Newly acquired forward Andrew Wiedeman scored his first MLS goal to lift Toronto FC to a 2-1 victory over the slumping Colorado Rapids on Wednesday night.
Fullback Doneil Henry started the play on the go-ahead goal in the 68th minute. Beating a defender in the corner, he sent the ball toward the box and, after rookie Luis Silva swept it toward goal, Wiedeman poked it in.
The 22-year-old was playing in just his 10th career MLS game and was making his second appearance as a substitute since coming to Toronto last Friday in the deal that sent Julian de Guzman to FC Dallas.
Conor Casey scored in the 23rd minute for Colorado (7-12-1). Jamaican international Ryan Johnson, making up for a flubbed penalty in the third minute, replied for Toronto (5-11-4) in the 51st.
Coming in on the back of victories over New England and Vancouver, Toronto FC is now riding its first three-game win streak since April 2008 -- its second season.
Colorado, meanwhile, dropped its fourth in a row. It also marked the fourth time this season it has lost after opening the scoring, second only to Montreal (five).
The Rapids have lost all six games against Toronto at BMO Field, although it defeated FC Dallas in Toronto to win the 2010 MLS Cup.
The Toronto win, before 18,225, continued TFC's revival under head coach Paul Mariner.
Toronto is 4-2-4 under Mariner—after a 1-9 start under former manager Aron Winter—despite playing those 10 games in 32 days, with six of those contests on the road.
Wednesday's game was the seventh for Colorado (1-6 with all the losses by one goal) over the same time period.
The contest was the first for Toronto since leading scorer Danny Koevermans tore knee ligaments in Saturday's 1-0 win in New England.
The designated player is not expected to be back until next May.
Mariner moved Silva up front with Johnson. Eric Avila returned to the lineup in midfield.
The absence of Koevermans' finishing touch was evident early.
Johnson hit the outside of the post on a third-minute penalty after Silva was clumsily hauled down as he collected a Henry through ball and danced past goalie Matt Pickens with former TFC defender Marvel Wynne trying to catch up on the play.
Johnson was also wide on a header in the sixth minute.
It was a nightmare start for Colorado, which was repeatedly carved open at the back. But Toronto could not take advantage and the Rapids regained their footing.
The Rapids had their first chance in the 18th minute when Brian Mullan hammered a long-range right-footed rocket off the post.
Five minutes later, Casey put the visitors ahead after a nice give-and-go off a Rapids throw-in. It was the 50th MLS career goal for Casey, who appeared in two games for Toronto in 2007 before moving to Colorado.
The visitors were ahead but looked rocky in their own end when Johnson headed the ball past Pickens in the 37th minute.
