B16 SOCCER O THEGLOBEANDMAIL| THURSDAY,OCTOBER24,2019
Lionel Messi and titleholder Liverpool were in top form in
the Champions League on Wednesday.
Messi scored one goal and set up another as Barcelona
beat Slavia Prague 2-1 to take control of Group F at the group
stage’s midpoint.
Liverpool overwhelmed Genk 4-1 to end a four-game los-
ing streak away from home in the group phase.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made the most of a rare start to
score twice and Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah also got on
the scoresheet for last season’s champion.
Still, Liverpool remained one point behind Napoli in
Group E after the Italian club won 3-2 at Salzburg with a brace
from Dries Mertens, who surpassed Diego Maradona for sec-
ond spot on the team’s all-time scoring list.
Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund trail Barcelona by
three points in a group where three heavyweights are vying
for two spots in the knockout stage.
Inter beat Dortmund 2-0 in the other Group F game with
goals from Lautaro Martinez and Antonio Candreva.
Messi floated a free kick to Luis Suarez at the far post and
the Uruguayan’s shot was deflected in by Slavia forward Peter
Olayinka for Barcelona’s winner.
Earlier, Messi finished off a fast move he had started.
It was the first goal for the Argentine in the campaign, tak-
ing his overall tally in Europe’s top club competition to 113.TREMENDOUSTEENAGER
Salzburg’s 19-year-old forward Erling Haaland scored twice in
the loss to Napoli, giving him six goals in three matches.
That makes him only the second teenager in Champions
League history to score in each of his first three appearances
in the competition, after current Real Madrid forward Karim
Benzema achieved the feat with Lyon. And he’s the first play-
er to score six goals in his first three Champions League ap-
pearances.
Haaland now has 20 goals in all competitions for the Aus-
trian club this season.
Haaland’s first goal came with a penalty, then he made it
2-2 by taking advantage of his 6-foot-4 (1.94 metre) frame for
a precise header.
He also had a score disallowed early on by the VAR for
offside.SUPERSUBS
Michy Batshuayi came off the bench and scored a late winner
as Chelsea rode its luck to beat Ajax 1-0 and throw Group H
wide open.
The Belgium striker fired in off the underside of the bar
from close range in the 86th, 15 minutes after coming on.
United States international Christian Pulisic, another of
coach Frank Lampard’s subs, provided the cross.
“It’s what you want from subs,” Lampard said. “Some-
times the toughest part of management is leaving out play-
ers that really want to play week in, week out, and you rely on
them being positive, coming on and making an impact and
they both did. Delighted for them both.”
The result left both teams on six points after three match-
es. Valencia, which drew 1-1 with Lille, is next with four
points.
It was another late Champions League stinger at the hands
of a London team for Ajax, which lost the semifinal last sea-
son to Tottenham thanks to a Lucas Moura goal deep in stop-
page time.LEIPZIGLEADS
Leipzig leads Group G following a 2-1 comeback win over Ze-
nit St. Petersburg and is in position to advance to the knock-
out rounds for the first time.
Marcel Sabitzer scored with a sublime volley for the win-
ner near the hour mark
“It’s without doubt one of the best goals of my career,”
Sabitzer said.
Sabitzer also set up the equalizer for Konrad Laimer after
Ukrainian defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy opened the scoring
for Zenit.
Leipzig has six points, two more than Zenit and Lyon,
which lost 2-1 at last-place Benfica.THE ASSOCIATEDPRESSMessiandLiverpoolshine
inChampionsLeague
ANDREWDAMPFROMET
oronto FC midfielder Liam
Fraser is biding his time.
It’s been three months
since the 21-year-old last started
in MLS play. He has not seen the
field since in league action, mak-
ing the matchday 18 just twice
since that 3-1 loss to Houston on
July 20.
Not that Fraser is complaining.
He understands playing time is
hard to come by when you’re be-
hind Michael Bradley on the
depth chart. But he believes he is
more than ready for his close-up.
“I feel I’m able to be patient be-
cause the times when I’m not
playing, I’m still learning a lot,” he
said. “So it’s not like I’m standing
still. I’m still moving forward a bit
and learning from Michael and
learning from other players in the
team and the coaching staff.
“I would never say I’m stag-
nant, I’m not doing anything. But
again it is hard not getting those
opportunities sometimes when I
feel I deserve them. But it’s the life
of a footballer. It’s the life – ups
and downs.”
Fraser and Toronto FC were in
New York City on Wednesday for
the MLS Eastern Conference semi-
final at Citi Field against NYCFC.
Fraser had an evening to re-
member Oct. 15 when Canada
hosted the U.S. in CONCACAF Na-
tions League play at BMO Field.
Starting on the bench, Fraser was
called into action in the ninth
minute when Mark-Anthony
Kaye was injured.
He made his Canadian debut in
style before family and friends in
his hometown, coolly fitting in
alongside Samuel Piette and help-
ing stifle the Americans in a mem-
orable 2-0 win
Toronto coach Greg Vanney
was not surprised at Fraser’s
poised play in Canadian colours.
“Liam slid into that [midfield]
role and looked very comfortable
... I thought it was an excellent
performance,” Vanney said. “He’s
not a kid who’s short of confi-
dence, so it’s not like the scenario
was going to be big for him. He be-
lieves heavily in himself.
“I thought he stepped in and
did a great job.”
Fraser is a cool customer on
and off the pitch. Blessed with fine
vision, the defensive midfielder is
excellent at distributing the ball.
“My dad really pushed [me] on
being a guy who everybody else
can rely on and not lose the ball.
... He really pushed me on becom-
ing a great passer,” he said.
Fraser credits Bradley for help-
ing him learn his position and
speaks highly of his mentality and
leadership abilities. But it’s clear
he’s champing at the bit.
Born in Toronto, Fraser moved
to Vancouver with his family
when he was eight or nine. He
spent six years with the Vancouv-
er Whitecaps residency program
before returning to Toronto in
2013.
Fraser doesn’t offer much
about his time in the Whitecaps
organization, saying: “It was all
right.”
But pressed, he spills.
“They never gave me the op-
portunity I felt I deserved there
and I think a lot of people over
there tried taking credit for some-
thing I don’t think they built up at
all. ... Last time I went to Vancouv-
er I had a couple of people, part of
the [Vancouver] organization – I
won’t name anyone – say ‘Oh, it
was great to see a Whitecaps prod-
uct.’ And I said ‘You guys didn’t
give me nothing.“’
He believes the Whitecaps,
while giving him a chance to play
in his own age group, “never
pushed me for that next step.”
“I owe everything to Toronto
FC and the people that gave me
opportunity here,” he said.
As a result, Fraser looks for-
ward to games against the White-
caps. “I love them.”
Armed with a good reference
from former Toronto and Van-
couver staffer Stuart Neely, Fraser
joined the TFC academy after a
successful trial. Working under
Anthony Capotosto and Mike Ste-
fano, he climbed the ranks to the
senior academy team and signed
with TFC II under Jason Bent in
February, 2016.
In early 2017, he captained Can-
ada in CONCACAF U-20 World
Cup qualifying play. Fraser, then
19, signed with the Toronto first
team in January, 2018, as a home-
grown player after 52 appearances
with TFC II.
Last season, he made 10 ap-
pearances with seven starts. This
year, he made nine regular-sea-
son appearances (all starts) with
seven of those coming in a row,
from late May to early July while
Bradley was away at the Gold Cup.
He dressed for last Saturday’s
playoff win over D.C. United but
did not see action.
Fraser says he will remember
his Canadian debut for the rest of
his life and hopes his perform-
ance made an impression for both
club and country.He says Canada has a chip on its
shoulder. As he does.
“I’m in such a kind of unique
situation having Michael there
and feeling like I deserve more
playing time than I’ve been get-
ting this year. Again that decision
is up to the coach and I respect the
coach’s decision. But I think it is
something I’ve been wanting to
prove for these last two years that
I have that ability to start for an
MLS team and play a consistent
season at peak performances.
“I know I have the ability to do
that. ... I know I have so much
more to give.”
Asked if he may have to go else-
where to get his playing time, he
pauses.
“I think [the goal is] just mak-
ing sure I just become the best
footballer that I can be, because I
know I can take it to another level.
Obviously that comes with big
game time and playing time. But I
have that ability. So if it’s Toronto,
if it’s somewhere else, I’d love for
it to be Toronto. But if it’s some-
where else that’ll allow me to be-
come the best footballer and keep
learning and allow me to push
boundaries ... then wherever it
takes me
“But for now, I’m just focused
on the [next] game and the play-
offs.”
Fraser says the club has been
open towards him when he seeks
direction about his future.
“That’s never guaranteed in
football – to always get that an-
swer you want to hear. It’s just
about kind of keeping your head
down and realizing that the op-
portunity will come.”
Fraser counts teammates Ash-
tone Morgan and Jonathan Osorio
for “massive, massive roles” in
helping him on and off the field.
The bond is clear with the two he
calls his big brothers.
“I love those guys. I’d kill for
those guys. I think they know that
as well.”
He even served as a ball boy at a
TFC game “way, way back” that
Morgan played in.THE CANADIANPRESSMidfielderFraserbidestimeinToronto,
butbelievesheisreadyformore
NEILDAVIDSONNE:<OR
TorontoFC’sLiamFraserstripstheSanJoseEarthquakes’Magnus
ErikssonoftheballinTorontoinMay.Hehasstartedjusttwicesincea
losstoHoustononJuly20.CHRIS YOUNG/THE CANADIANPRESSAlejandro Pozuelo converted a
90th-minute penalty to give To-
ronto FC a 2-1 win over New York
City FC in the MLS Eastern Con-
ference semi-final Wednesday.
Fullback Ronald Matarrita
took Richie Laryea down in the
88th minute as the substitute
slashed his way into the penalty
box and Pozuelo slotted the spot
kick down the middle with non-
chalant ease in the 90th minute.
It was Pozuelo’s second goal
of the game and his fourth goal
against NYCFC this season. He
went 2-of-3 from the penalty
spot against New York. Quentin
Westberg made a diving save in
stoppage time to preserve the
win.
After Pozuelo took advantage
of another New York City FC
blunder early in the second half
for a 1-0 Toronto lead, NYCFC fi-
nally came to life and launched
attack after attack. Ismael Tajou-
ri-Shradi tied it up in the 69th
minute when Toronto was
caught ball-watching in its own
end.
Despite missing the injured
Jozy Altidore, Toronto was more
creative in front of goal but
failed to take advantage in the
first half. That changed in the
47th minute when NYCFC got an
attempted clearance deep in its
own half horribly wrong.
Toronto’s Brazilian fullback
Auro hoofed the ball into the
NYCFC end after a throw-in and
the home side tried to clear the
ball with three headers that went
from bad to worse to complete
disaster.
Defender Maxime Chanot, a
French-born Luxembourg inter-national, committed the finale
gaffe with an attempted back-
header to goalkeeper Sean John-
son that went straight to Pozue-
lo, who accepted the gift and
then beat Johnson with a left-
footed shot.
New York, which had the sec-
ond-best regular-season record
in the league, went into high
gear after the goal and pulled
even in the 69th minute.
After a NYCFC throw-in in the
Toronto end, Maximiliano Mo-ralez sent a cross to the far post
and spotted Tajouri-Shradi mak-
ing a late run. Jonathan Osorio
tried to get to the unmarked Ta-
jouri-Shradi but was too late as
the Swiss-born Libyan interna-
tional beat Westberg.
Toronto will play either No. 2
Atlanta or No. 3 Philadelphia,
who meet Thursday at Mercedes-
Benz Stadium, in the conference
final Oct. 20.
Fourth-seeded Toronto was
playing on just three days restafter a 5-1 extra-time win Satur-
day over visiting D.C. United in a
first-round, playoff matchup.
Altidore, a game-day decision
with a quad strain, did not make
the matchday 18 for the second
match in a row. Centre back
Omar Gonzalez, who sat out the
D.C. contest with a hamstring is-
sue, started on the bench.
NYCFC, in contrast, was well-
rested having secured a first-
round bye by virtue of topping
the Eastern Conference. The New
Yorkers, who finished 14 points
ahead of Toronto in the regular
season, last played Oct. 6 in the
regular-season finale.
Brazilian forward Heber, who
had been dealing with calf dis-
comfort, came off the NYCFC
bench in the 60th minute.
Toronto started aggressively
with NYCFC looking a little rusty
while searching for counterat-
tack possibilities. New York be-
gan to work its way into the
match, only to see the chances
go Toronto’s way as the visitors
turned the screws on offence.
Pozuelo forced a diving one-
handed save from Johnson with
a right-footed strike in the 15th
minute. Nicolas Benezet then
shot just wide in the 20th min-
ute.
NYCFC caught Toronto off-
guard in the 29th minute on a
quick free kick that found Argen-
tine forward Valentin Castellanos
all alone. But Westberg made the
save on the New Yorkers’ only
shot on target in the first half.THE ASSOCIATEDPRESSPozueloliftsTFCpastNYCFCinplayoffs
Strikerknocksinlate
penaltywithease,pulls
Torontooutofahole
afterscoringteam’sfirst
goaljustafterhalftime
NEILDAVIDSONNE:<OR
NYCFC’sAlexanderCallenstriestotackleTFC’sTsubasaEndohinNewYorkWednesday.FRANKFRANKLINII/AP