TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (global)
English (Apple TV): Joe Tolleson (Play-by-Play) and Greg Sutton (Analyst)
English (Apple TV – Local Feed): Matt Cullen
English (TSN): Luke Wileman and Steven Caldwell
Spanish (Apple TV): Jesús Acosta (Play-by-Play) and Carlos Suárez (Analyst)
Toronto FC (7-11-3, 24 pts) return home to host 2015 MLS expansion club Orlando City (5-9-6, 21 pts) in Major League Soccer action at BMO Field on Wednesday evening. The Matchday 24 encounter kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app and on TSN3/4 in Canada.
Currently, in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, TFC enter midweek action eager to get back to winning ways after dropping a road result against Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday. Historically, TFC hold an 9W-8L-3T record through their first 20 meetings with the Lions and the Reds will be looking to complete the regular season series sweep after defeating Orlando City with a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 road victory earlier in the campaign.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Toronto FC welcome Orlando City SC for the second and final matchup of the 2024 MLS regular season between the two sides on Wednesday evening. With five home wins in 2024, TFC hold a 120W-87L-77T all-time record (437 points) in MLS regular season matches played on home soil to date.
AN ODE TO THE PAST
Toronto FC host 2015 MLS expansion club Orlando City SC for the 21st encounter in the all-time series between the two clubs. TFC hold an 9W-8L-3T record through their first 20 meetings with the Lions. The two Eastern Conference clubs have previously faced off at BMO Field on ten occasions, with the Reds leading the head-to-head series in Toronto with four wins to Orlando’s three. TFC will be looking for their first home victory against the Lions since recording a 2-1 victory, courtesy of goals from Jay Chapman and Ryan Telfer, at BMO Field on May 18, 2018. Earlier this campaign, late goals from Tyrese Spicer and Prince Owusu powered the Reds to a dramatic victory against Orlando City at Exploria Stadium on April 27. The road victory marked TFC’s first come-from-behind victory of the 2024 MLS season and the club’s first such victory since May 2022.
THE CLIMB CONTINUES
Toronto FC enter Wednesday’s match fresh from a 2-1 road loss against Atlanta United FC on Saturday evening. Thiago Almada scored the opener for the 5-Stripes in stoppage time of the first half, after Lorenzo Insigne’s headed goal in the 25th minute was deemed offside following a lengthy video review. The Reds wasted no time in finding a second-half equalizer, however, as Federico Bernardeschi ran onto Lorenzo Insigne’s pass before cutting inside and finding the bottom-left corner in trademark fashion. The goal, scored after only 53 seconds of the second half, marked Bernardeschi’s eighth MLS goal and his 15th goal contribution (nine goals, six assists) across all competitions in 2024. Insigne’s sweeping cross-field pass also marked the Italian’s fifth MLS assist of the season. Minutes away from the two sides earning a point apiece, the hosts found a late winner through Jamal Thiaré in the 98th minute to earn the 2-1 win.
ALL-STAR AURA
MLS announced Monday Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi as one of 30 players selected to the 2024 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target. The 2024 MLS All-Star Game will feature the MLS All-Stars taking on the best of LIGA MX on Wednesday, July 24, at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Bernardeschi has appeared in 18 matches, registering eight goals and five assists for TFC during the 2024 MLS regular season. This year, he has earned four MLS Team of the Matchday honours for his performances against Atlanta United, Orlando City, FC Dallas and CF Montréal in MLS play. Bernardeschi, with his first MLS All-Star Game invitation, becomes the ninth Red to earn a selection, joining Ronnie O’Brien (2007), Jim Brennan (2008), Dwayne De Rosario (2009, 2010), Jermain Defoe (2014), Jozy Altidore (2015, 2017), Michael Bradley (2014, 2015, 2017), Sebastian Giovinco (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and Alejandro Pozuelo (2019) on Toronto FC’s all-time All-Star list.
COPA CALLING
Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio and Richie Laryea will be unavailable for selection as the Toronto-born duo are currently on international duty, representing Canada at the 2024 Copa América tournament in the United States. Les Rouges advanced from Group A in second-place after posting a 1W-1L-1T record against Argentina, Peru and Chile and will now face Venezuela in the competition’s quarter-finals on Friday, July 5 (9:00 p.m. ET) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
FAMILIAR FACES
A trio of Reds have previously suited up for the Lions in their respective MLS careers. Richie Laryea was selected seventh overall by Orlando City in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft and made 21 appearances across three seasons (2016 – 2018) for the Lions before joining the Reds as a free agent on March 21, 2019. Shane O’Neill returned to Major League Soccer to join Orlando City in June 2018 and made 26 combined appearances across two seasons (2018, 2019) for the Lions. Greg Ranjitsingh joined Orlando in December 2018 and made two appearances between the sticks during the 2019 MLS regular season. On the other side, Luca Petrasso, a TFC Academy product, came through the youth ranks and made 27 appearances for the Reds since signing as a Homegrown Player in January 2022. The defender joined the Lions in November 2022 and made 14 appearances for the Lions before joining Italian Serie C club Triestina on loan in January 2024.
