Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne has been named to the Major League Soccer (MLS) Team of the Matchday 16 as a starter following an all-action performance in Saturday’s 3-4 loss against FC Cincinnati at BMO Field.
Making his ninth MLS appearance of the 2024 campaign, Lorenzo Insigne was at the heart of everything positive in the Reds’ dramatic loss against the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners. The Italian attacker’s out-swinging corner set up Deybi Flores to give the Reds the lead in the 25th minute, marking Insigne’s fourth MLS assist of the season.
Trailing 1-2 in the second half, Insigne’s short corner kick routine led to an intricate passing sequence between the Italian, Raoul Petretta and Jonathan Osorio before Cincinnati’s Ian Murphy bundled Insigne’s low cross into his own net for the Reds leveller in the 63rd minute.
Shortly after the visitors took their second lead of the night, the Reds were awarded a penalty when Prince Owusu was brought down by Miles Robinson in the box. Insigne sent goalkeeper Roman Celentano the wrong way from 12 yards, scoring an emphatic penalty into the top-right corner to level the score at three apiece in the 85th minute.
Seeking a late winner in front of the home faithful, Insigne received a throw in from Petretta and drove through the Cincinnati midfield before unleashing a ferocious 30-yard strike that clattered the woodwork in the 89th minute. Moments after the visitors took the lead in stoppage time, Insigne struck a left-footed half-volley past Roman Celentano and into the Cincinnati net, only for the effort to be chalked off by the linesman’s offside flag in the 96th minute, denying the Reds a point on the night.
With a goal and an assist against the Orange and Blue, Lorenzo Insigne registered two goal contributions for the second successive MLS match, after registering a pair of assists against CF Montréal on May 18. The MLS Team of the Matchday selection marks the Italian’s third of the 2024 MLS campaign, following Matchday 3 and 4 selections, and the ninth such honour in his third season with the Reds.
In total, Toronto FC have now earned 15 MLS Team of the Matchday honours during the 2024 MLS regular season – Federico Bernardeschi (4), Sean Johnson (3), Lorenzo Insigne (3), Deybi Flores (2), Kevin Long (1), Prince Owusu (1) and Tyrese Spicer (1).
MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Matchday – Matchday 16:
F: Lorenzo Insigne (TOR), Diego Rossi (CLB), Sang Bin Jeong (MIN)
M: Robert Taylor (MIA), Riqui Puig (LA), Evander (POR), Anderson Julio (RSL)
D: Luca Orellano (CIN), Joel Waterman (MTL), Miki Yamane (LA)
GK: Matt Freese (NYC)
Coach: Pat Noonan (CIN)
Bench: Kristijan Kahlina (CLT), Brendan Hines-Ike (ATX), Aidan Morris (CLB), Keaton Parks (NYC), Patrickson Delgado (DAL), Albert Rusnák (SEA), Mateusz Bogusz (LAFC), Kévin Cabral (COL), Felipe Mora (POR)
