Jordan Perruzza opened the scoring for Toronto in the 35th minute, finishing Luca Petrasso’s low cross to score his seventh goal of the season.
Lansing answered almost immediately from the penalty spot after Elma N’For was brought down in the box in the 40th minute. Pato Faz stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty home after sending Yann-Alexandre Fillion the wrong way.
The Ignite scored a go-ahead goal just after halftime as Brandon Fricke hammered a shot into the roof of the net after Toronto failed to clear a free kick served into the 18-yard box. The goal was Fricke’s second of the season.
Xavier Gomez doubled Lansing’s lead two minutes later, striking a low half volley into the bottom left corner of Fillion’s goal to score his second goal of the season. Nick Moon was credited with an assist on the goal.
TFCII began to claw its way back into the match after a long serve from a set piece set piece rolled out towards the corner flag in the 78th minute. Matthew Srbely chased down the loose ball and whipped in an out-swinging cross from the endline, inviting Patrick Bunk-Andersen to run on to it and nod the ball into the bottom corner of Stefan Cleveland’s goal.
Toronto equalized from another set piece in the 81st minute as Jordan Farla served an in-swinging corner towards Nobel Okello at the near post. Okello flicked it on frame, forcing Cleveland to make the initial save, but Rocco Romeo was there to knock in the rebound and pull TFC II level.
With the draw, Lansing moves a point ahead of Tormenta FC to take sole possession of second place, however, Tormenta has five matches in hand on the Ignite. The two sides will meet in Statesboro, Georgia next Saturday.
The point at home on Friday afternoon preserves Toronto's unbeaten record at BMO Training Ground and keeps the club in fifth place, just one point back of Chattanooga for the fourth and final playoff position. TFC II will continue its five-game home stand next Saturday as they host the Richmond Kickers.
