Rapids-Toronto FC Preview

Eager to put their current struggles behind, Toronto FC hopes to take advantage of a seemingly favorable stretch of home games beginning with Saturday's match against the Colorado Rapids.

Though still in good position to earn the first playoff berth in its nine-year history, Toronto (11-13-4) begins a five-game homestand having scored just twice while losing three straight. The Reds lead rival Montreal by four points for fifth in the Eastern Conference but the Impact own two games in hand.

"We don't need to worry about teams above us or teams below us. We just need to figure out how to get ourselves back on track," captain Michael Bradley told the team's official website.

Toronto, 7-4-1 at BMO Field in league play, may be able to do so with each of its next three opponents at or near the bottom of the standings. Games against Chicago and Philadelphia, the bottom two teams in the East, follow its meeting with a Colorado side that sits last in the West.

The Rapids still figure to be a tough draw, though. Colorado (8-10-10) has yielded the second-fewest goals in MLS (30) and won the last two matchups by 1-0 scores. The Rapids ended a six-game road losing streak in the series with last season's visit.

Colorado's 26 goals is last in the league, however, and its top five scorers have combined for two less than Toronto's Sebastian Giovinco's 17. The star striker ranks second in MLS in goals and is tied for third with 13 assists.

"We're going to need to give him a lot of attention," midfielder Sam Cronin told the Rapids' official website. "In my opinion he's probably the MVP of the league so far."

Giovinco has only one goal over his last six games, however, and missed one earlier this month with an adductor injury. He was held in check in Wednesday's 2-0 loss at New York City FC, where Frank Lampard's first MLS goal put the Reds in a hole in the 20th minute.

"We're just losing our discipline and our responsibilities because we are chasing that goal," Toronto coach Greg Vanney said. "It just felt like it was going to be another one of those days where it is tough to get that goal."

The Rapids are seven points out of a playoff spot and missed an opportunity to gain ground when D.C. United's Steve Birnbaum scored in the 87th minute to forge a 1-all draw last Saturday. Colorado had won three straight prior to a 2-0 defeat at Vancouver three days earlier.