Toronto FC II (10W-12L-6T, 37 points) recorded their largest road victory of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro campaign with a 4-1 win against Crown Legacy FC (11W-10L-7T, 45 points) at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex, courtesy of two goals in each half from Marko Stojadinovic, Julian Altobelli, Nathaniel Edwards and Joses Chukwu, on Sunday afternoon.
TFC II Head Coach Gianni Cimini made four changes from the side that started against Chattanooga FC last Sunday with Richard Chukwu, Mark Fisher, Lucas Olguin and Hassan Ayari making way for Adam Pearlman, Nathaniel Edwards, Julian Altobelli and Charlie Sharp.
The Young Reds got off to a bright start and opened the scoring early in the Tar Heel State. On the play, a short corner routine saw Julian Altobelli find Marko Stojadinovic who unleashed a long-range left-footed shot past Chituru Odunze in Crown Legacy’s goal. The 16th minute strike marked the Canadian defender’s first professional goal in his 25th TFC II appearance of the 2024 season.
Five minutes later, Jesús Batiz was running through on goal before Crown Legacy defender Bill Tuiloma fouled the Honduran winger, leaving referee JJ Bilinski with no option but to point to the penalty spot. TFC II club captain Julian Altobelli stepped up from 12 yards and slotted his penalty into the bottom-right corner, giving his side the two goal first-half lead.
The 23rd minute spot-kick marked a landmark goal for the TFC II captain as Julian Altobelli became the club’s outright all-time leading scorer with his 21st career goal. Altobelli also became the first player in club history to score a goal in nine consecutive appearances for the Young Reds and only the second player in MLS NEXT Pro history to record the scoring streak.
Crown Legacy FC cut their deficit to one five minutes later when forward Dylan Sing pulled one back for the hosts from close-range to in the 28th minute.
Toronto FC II restored their two-goal advantage in the second half when Nathaniel Edwards, played through on goal by Marko Stojadinovic, cooly slotted past Chituru Odunze with a left-footed finish. The 61st minute goal marked Edwards’ fourth goal contribution (two goals, two assists) of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season and Stojadinovic’s first assist of the 2024 campaign.
The Young Reds scored their fourth and final goal of the afternoon when second-half substitutes, Hassan Ayari and Joses Chukwu, combined on a late counter-attack with the TFC Academy forward Chukwu side-footing home to make it 4-1 for the visitors in stoppage time. The 91st minute strike marked the 17-year-old’s first professional goal in his third appearance for TFC II and Ayari’s eight goal contribution (six goals, two assists) of the 2024 campaign.
With the full-time whistle confirming the 4-1 scoreline in Matthews, North Carolina, the three-goal margin of victory marked TFC II’s largest road win of the season as the Young Reds conclude their 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular season with a 10W-12L-6T record (37 points).
SCORING SUMMARY
TOR – Marko Stojadinovic 17’ (Julian Altobelli)
TOR – Julian Altobelli 23’ (penalty kick)
CLFC – Dylan Sing 28’
TOR – Nathaniel Edwards 61’ (Marko Stojadinovic)
TOR – Joses Chukwu 90+1’ (Hassan Ayari)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TOR – Charlie Staniland 34’ (caution)
CLFC – Nicholas Scardina 64’ (caution)
CLFC – Jonathan Nyandjo 77’ (caution)
CLFC – Bill Tuiloma 83’ (caution)
CLFC – Cam Duke 87’ (caution)
LINEUPS
CROWN LEGACY FC – Chituru Odunze; Jaylin Lindsey, Bill Tuiloma, João Pedro (Brian Carmona Romero 78’), Nicholas Scardina; Willian Sangoquiza (C) (Erik Peña 61’), Jamie Paterson (Aron John 61’), Idan Toklomati; Brandon Cambridge, Nimfasha Berchimas (Cam Duke 69’), Dylan Sing (Jonathan Nyandjo 69’)
Substitutes Not Used: Isaac Walker, Jack Neeley, Julian Bravo, Filip Mirkovic
TORONTO FC II – Shafique Wilson; Adam Pearlman (Richard Chukwu 76’), Ythallo, Marko Stojadinovic; Nathaniel Edwards, Charlie Staniland (Lucas Olguin 46’), Markus Cimermancic, Jesús Batiz; Andrei Dumitru (Mark Fisher 46’), Julian Altobelli (C) (Joses Chukwu 86’), Charlie Sharp (Hassan Ayari 57’)
Substitutes Not Used: Nathaniel Abraham, Tyler Londono, Costa Iliadis, Matthew Catavolo
MEDIA NOTES
- Julian Altobelli scored his 21st career goal for Toronto FC II, becoming the club’s outright all-time leading scorer.
- Julian Altobelli also became the first player in club history to score a goal in nine consecutive appearances for TFC II and the second player in MLS NEXT Pro history to record the scoring streak.
- Marko Stojadinovic and Joses Chukwu scored their first goals for Toronto FC II, becoming the eighth and ninth different players to open their accounts for the Young Reds during the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season.
- Marko Stojadinovic also registered his first assist of the 2024 campaign on Nathaniel Edwards’ 61st minute goal.
