Danny Califf’s Toronto FC career saw him play just four games for the club.

Darel Russell has only been a member of Toronto FC for a few weeks, but he joins an ever-growing list of Reds’ players whose late-game mistakes have cost the team points.

"These are players who have been in these situations. Not to slag off young players, but you only know what it's like when you're in the positions and Danny has been in these positions for years," O'Dea said. "It's a bit of experience and mental toughness and we lacked a bit of that last year."

With the MLS season moved up to its earliest start ever, forgive us if we don’t feel 100 per cent totally prepared for First Kick. Judging by the way many MLS teams finished preseason, with tentative matches and still looking at trialists with a week to go before the games count in the standings, a lot of coaches aren’t quite ready for the early start, either.

And it was hard to tell if both the Impact and Crew were going through the paces, saving energy for their openers, or if this game was a sign of two teams screaming for more preseason time.

And, the Impact scored early and often as it overwhelmed the reigning NASL champion Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-1 at the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic in Orlando, while Toronto FC overcame a terrible start in a torrential first-hald downpour to overcome USL-Pro’s Orlando City 2-0.

Cesar, though, at 34, is just one year younger than his coach, Ryan Nelsen. The team already has Torsten Frings, who is 36. Striker Eric Hassli turns 32 this spring. Danny Koevermans is 34. Midfielder Terry Dunfield is 30. Central defender Danny Califf is 32.

If Friday was your first day following MLS, all you’d need to do is look at the second stage of the Re-Entry Draft to comprehend just how many players have called Toronto FC home over the club’s relatively short six-year existence.