Scuffle breaks out in tunnel at halftime of TFC’s game versus Red Bulls
TORONTO — Bad blood between Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls spilled into the halftime tunnel on Sunday — and cost TFC the use of star striker Jozy Altidore in the opening game of the Eastern Conference final.
Flaring tempers sparked an altercation as both teams left the field for their respective dressing rooms during halftime of the second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinal.
“We’ve lost (Altidore) as of now,” said TFC coach Greg Vanney. “There’s video footage I think of what happened in the tunnel. From my estimation and from what I’ve heard, Jozy basically got ambushed in the tunnel and we’ll see where that goes.”
New York won the chippy game 1-0, but Toronto moves on to face Columbus in the conference final based on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate tie. Unless the league rescinds its ruling, Altidore will sit in Game 1 of the next round after he and New York’s Sacha Kljestan were slapped with red cards for the tunnel melee.