Toronto FC (8W-13L-3T, 27 points) completed a second-half comeback to record a 2-1 victory against the visiting Philadelphia Union (4W-10L-9T, 21 points) at BMO Field on Saturday evening.
First Half:
Toronto FC Head Coach John Herdman made six changes from the midweek side that started against Forge FC in the Canadian Championship with Sean Johnson, Sigurd Rosted, Kevin Long, Matty Longstaff, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Prince Owusu replacing Luka Gavran, Aimé Mabika, Nicksoen Gomis, Kobe Franklin, Deybi Flores and Lorenzo Insigne.
The two Eastern Conference sides exchanged a pair of half chances in the opening 30 minutes of the evening, with Federico Bernardeschi’s long-range attempt blazing over the crossbar in the 17th minute before Mikael Uhre forced Sean Johnson into an instinctive, low save in the 27th minute.
Leading the league with the most set-piece goals this season, Philadelphia Union showcased their set-piece prowess and took the lead through Tai Baribo’s header from Kai Wagner’s free-kick delivery. The 39th minute goal was enough to separate the two sides heading into the half-time interval.
Second Half:
Looking to turn things around, the hosts introduced Lorenzo Insigne and Nicksoen Gomis to begin the second half at BMO Field. The Italian winger nearly made an instant impact when his well-struck, long-range volley flew merely inches wide off the mark in the 55th minute.
Toronto FC found their equalizer when Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty’s downward header to Deandre Kerr was bundled towards the net by Philadelphia defender Jack Elliott in the 74th minute.
Five minutes later, the Reds completed the second-half comeback courtesy of an incisive passage of play between a trio of substitutes in Deybi Flores, Lorenzo Insigne and Deandre Kerr. With Philly looking to play out of the back, Flores made a timely interception to break up the visitors’ sequence which fell kindly into the path of Insigne. The Italian then slipped in Kerr with a perfectly weighed through ball which the Ajax native fired home with a powerful left-footed finish, giving the Reds the lead in the 78th minute.
Although TFC’s defensive resolve was put to the test in the closing stages of the affair, the Reds’ rearguard managed to stay firm to deny the Union a late equalizer and seal the 2-1 victory and all three points on the hot summer evening.
Toronto FC hit the road next to face Inter Miami CF in midweek MLS action on Wednesday, July 17. Kick-off from Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
LINEUPS
TORONTO FC – Sean Johnson; Sigurd Rosted (Deybi Flores 61’), Kevin Long, Shane O’Neill (Nicksoen Gomis 46’); Federico Bernardeschi (C), Matty Longstaff, Raoul Petretta (Lorenzo Insigne 46’), Kosi Thompson, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty; Derrick Etienne Jr. (Aimé Mabika 87’), Prince Owusu (Deandre Kerr 62’)
Substitutes Not Used: Luka Gavran, Kobe Franklin, Cassius Mailula, Julian Altobelli
PHILADELPHIA UNION – Andrew Rick; Jakob Glesnes (C), Jack Elliott (Chris Donovan 83’), Damion Lowe; Olivier Mbaizo, Jesús Bueno (Alejandro Bedoya 59’), Leon Flach, Kai Wagner, Dániel Gazdag; Tai Baribo, Mikael Uhre (Quinn Sullivan 59’)
Substitutes Not Used: Oliver Semmle, Olwethu Makhanya, Jeremy Rafanello, CJ Olney, Markus Anderson, David Vazquez
MEDIA NOTES
- With his assist on Deandre Kerr’s game-winning goal, Lorenzo Insigne registered his tenth goal contribution of the 2024 MLS regular season (four goals, six assists).
POSTMATCH SOUND
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