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Toronto Star
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Richie Laryea, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty set for Toronto return as Charlotte FC visits
TORONTO - A pair of familiar faces could make their return Saturday when Toronto FC hosts Charlotte FC in MLS play. Toronto fullback Richie Laryea, out since March 1 with a hamstring injury, is available to see some minutes. Toronto coach Robin Fraser says the 30-year-old Canadian international has impressed since joining the team for training.
Globe and Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Philadelphia Union rally with two late goals to defeat Toronto FC 2-1
Add another painful chapter to Toronto FC's challenging season. Toronto (3-9-4) held the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union (10-3-3) scoreless for 85 minutes Wednesday and looked headed for just its second home win of the season after Norwegian forward Ola Brynhildsen roofed a shot in the 75th minute. But Philadelphia goals in the 86th and 92nd minutes made for a miserable ending and a 2-1 loss for TFC. 'I'm incredibly disappointed,' said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. 'The work that they did for 85 minutes was unbelievable. They fought. And this is a very, very difficult [Philadelphia] team to deal with. You have to be up for the physical battle. And for 85 minutes we were very good.' 'The performance they put on today, they were too good to let that slip away,' he added. And that is exactly what happened. After Nathan Harriel rose high to head home a Kai Wagner corner in the 86th minute, Wagner broke TFC fans' hearts with a 92nd-minute shot that deflected in off Toronto midfielder Matty Longstaff. Brynhildsen, who had been taking a beating from Philadelphia all evening, had outpaced two defenders to get to a long ball from Deybi Flores for his second goal of the season. 'Obviously it doesn't feel [good]. We worked so hard,' said Brynhildsen, whose mother and stepfather were in the stands. 'I think we really played well. Everyone was on. We were fighting. We beat Philadelphia at their own game, physical and running. And then we don't reward ourselves with winning the game. It's a tough one.' It was a scrappy stop-and-start game with a lot of whistles from referee Guido Gonzales Jr. The visitors spent much of the first half in Toronto's end, on a cool, damp evening with plenty of empty seats at BMO Field. Attendance was announced at 14,490, only slightly higher than the season low of 14,019 for the 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati on May 14. The Union outshot Toronto 13-10 (6-4 in shots on target). Philadelphia arrived atop the East, 13 places and 17 points ahead of Toronto – and trailing the Vancouver Whitecaps by one point in the Supporters' Shield standings. The Union are now unbeaten in eight matches (6-0-2) in league play and 10 in all competitions (8-0-2), dating back to a 1-0 defeat April 12 at New York City FC. After starting the campaign at 0-4-4, Toronto has gone 3-5-0 and came into the game eight points out of a playoff spot. Since posting its first victory of the season April 19 in Salt Lake, the club has lost, lost, won, lost, won, lost and lost in league play. The game was Toronto's 300th regular-season home game in club history with TFC 123-98-79, good for 448 points. Saturday's home game against Nashville was Toronto's 600th regular-season outing. With Toronto playing its sixth game in 25 days, coach Robin Fraser made seven changes to the starting lineup that lost 2-1 last weekend. Only goalkeeper Sean Johnson, winger Theo Corbeanu, Flores and Brynhildsen retained their places. Captain Jonathan Osorio, who came off the bench Saturday in his return from a shoulder injury, started for the first time since April 30. Defenders Henry Wingo, Raoul Petretta and Zane Monlouis also were back in the starting lineup. Toronto was still missing injured defenders Nicksoen Gomis and Kobe Franklin, along with forward Deandre Kerr. Star winger Federico Bernardeschi and defender Kosi Thompson were both suspended for yellow card accumulation. Recovered from a knee injury, Andre Blake was back in goal for Philadelphia. The 34-year-old Jamaican international, a three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, had missed the last six games. TFC was unbeaten in its last three meetings with Philadelphia (2-0-1) and had a 14-11-8 edge (including 10-3-4 at BMO Field) in career regular-season meetings. The Union last won in Toronto in May 2019. Toronto hosts Charlotte FC on Saturday while Philadelphia plays at FC Dallas.
National Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Inconsistent TFC looks to finish congested May schedule with pair of wins
Toronto FC reaches the halfway point of the Major League Soccer season this week still very much a work in progress. Article content Article content After starting the campaign at 0-4-4, Toronto has gone 3-4-0 — beaten 2-1 last time out by visiting Nashville SC. Despite a string of injuries to the backline, the TFC defence has improved — after conceding 12 goals in the first five games, it has given up eight in the last 10 league outings. Article content But Toronto (3-8-4) has been inconsistent of late. Since posting its first victory of the season April 19 in Salt Lake, the club has lost, lost, won, lost, won and lost in league play. A hectic May schedule wraps up with visits by the Philadelphia Union (9-3-3) on Wednesday and Charlotte FC (7-7-1) on Saturday. Article content Points are needed with Toronto 14th in the Eastern Conference, eight points out of the playoffs. In a month that features seven games, including six at home, TFC has picked up just six of a possible 15 points to date. Article content 'We talked about May being an important month for us and we've missed some opportunities with the home games,' said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. 'And we look at these last two games (in May) and it's our last opportunities to really take advantage of this home stretch. Article content 'The fact that we're playing against two very good teams just makes it more challenging. But it doesn't make it any less important that we get wins. I would say points, but certainly where we are (in the standings), we need wins. To finish this month with a couple of good results would obviously make everyone feel better.' Article content Philadelphia tops the East and trails Vancouver by one point in the Supporters' Shield standings. The Union arrive unbeaten in nine matches (6-0-3) in all competitions — and 17 points ahead of Toronto. Article content Article content 'A very good team,' said Fraser. 'I really like the fact that they play like a team. They seem to move in unison — in attack and defence. No prima donnas, nobody's taking plays off. And I have a ton of respect for teams that operate that way.'
Toronto Sun
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Inconsistent TFC looks to finish congested May schedule with pair of wins
Published May 27, 2025 • 4 minute read Toronto FC head coach Robin Fraser watches his players during MLS action against SC Nashville, in Toronto, on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Photo by Chris Young / The Canadian Press Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Toronto FC reaches the halfway point of the Major League Soccer season this week still very much a work in progress. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account After starting the campaign at 0-4-4, Toronto has gone 3-4-0 — beaten 2-1 last time out by visiting Nashville SC. Despite a string of injuries to the backline, the TFC defence has improved — after conceding 12 goals in the first five games, it has given up eight in the last 10 league outings. But Toronto (3-8-4) has been inconsistent of late. Since posting its first victory of the season April 19 in Salt Lake, the club has lost, lost, won, lost, won and lost in league play. A hectic May schedule wraps up with visits by the Philadelphia Union (9-3-3) on Wednesday and Charlotte FC (7-7-1) on Saturday. Points are needed with Toronto 14th in the Eastern Conference, eight points out of the playoffs. In a month that features seven games, including six at home, TFC has picked up just six of a possible 15 points to date. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We talked about May being an important month for us and we've missed some opportunities with the home games,' said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. 'And we look at these last two games (in May) and it's our last opportunities to really take advantage of this home stretch. 'The fact that we're playing against two very good teams just makes it more challenging. But it doesn't make it any less important that we get wins. I would say points, but certainly where we are (in the standings), we need wins. To finish this month with a couple of good results would obviously make everyone feel better.' Read More Philadelphia tops the East and trails Vancouver by one point in the Supporters' Shield standings. The Union arrive unbeaten in nine matches (6-0-3) in all competitions — and 17 points ahead of Toronto. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'A very good team,' said Fraser. 'I really like the fact that they play like a team. They seem to move in unison — in attack and defence. No prima donnas, nobody's taking plays off. And I have a ton of respect for teams that operate that way.' Philadelphia forward Tai Baribo, an Israeli international, leads the league with 13 goals, while 21-year-old midfielder Quinn Sullivan is tied for second with seven assists. As a team, Philadelphia tops the league with 37 assists. Vancouver is second with 32 assists, while Toronto is further down the table with 14. The good news for Fraser is his injured list is getting shorter with defenders Raoul Petretta and Henry Wingo, and midfielder Markus Cimermancic all available Wednesday. Star fullback Richie Laryea, sidelined by a hamstring injury since March 1, could return on the weekend. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. TFC is still missing injured defenders Nicksoen Gomis and Kobe Franklin, along with forward Deandre Kerr. And there are more holes to be filled with star winger Federico Bernardeschi and defender Kosi Thompson both suspended Wednesday for yellow card accumulation. 'I can't quite get all the pieces together at the same time,' said Fraser. 'I wish the results were better because I would love to say that guys have stepped up and they've done well. And to be fair, we have. We just haven't taken enough games over the line to really prove that we're doing well as a team.' RECOMMENDED VIDEO Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake returned to training Monday from a knee injury and will be available, said coach Bradley Carnell. The 34-year-old Jamaican international, who has been named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year three times, has only played in nine league games this season with his last outing May 3 in a 2-1 win at Montreal. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. TFC is unbeaten in its last three meetings with Philadelphia (2-0-1) and has a 14-11-8 edge (including 10-3-4 at BMO Field) in career regular-season meetings. The Union last won in Toronto in May 2019. 'They're an aggressive team,' said Carnell. 'They have a very competitive midfield. (Jonathan) Osorio brings a bit of experience there, too. And they're very dangerous on the flanks … They're very good in transition. I would say probably one of the most transitional teams that we're going to face now. So in terms of managing both (penalty) boxes, we're going to have to be on high alert and aware of that.' The MLS Disciplinary Committee took notice of Lorenzo Insigne's aggression in the weekend loss to Nashville, handing the Toronto star an undisclosed fine 'for violating the league's policy regarding hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent.' The incident in question came in stoppage time after Toronto's Kosi Thompson scythed Nashville fullback Daniel Lovitz to the ground in a lunging tackle. Unimpressed by the complaints of Lovitz, a former TFC player, Insigne cheekily grabbed a piece of his cheek. Thompson was booked on the play but Insigne escaped punishment. Toronto Maple Leafs World Columnists Canada World
Globe and Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Globe and Mail
Inconsistent Toronto FC looks to finish congested May schedule with a pair of wins
Toronto FC reaches the halfway point of the Major League Soccer season this week still very much a work in progress. After starting the campaign at 0-4-4, Toronto has gone 3-4-0 – beaten 2-1 last time out by visiting Nashville SC. Despite a string of injuries to the backline, the TFC defence has improved – after conceding 12 goals in the first five games, it has given up eight in the last 10 league outings. But Toronto (3-8-4) has been consistently inconsistent of late. Since posting its first victory of the season April 19 in Salt Lake, the club has lost, lost, won, lost, won and lost in league play. A hectic May schedule wraps up with visits by the Philadelphia Union (9-3-3) on Wednesday and Charlotte FC (7-7-1) on Saturday. Points are needed with Toronto 14th in the Eastern Conference, eight points out of the playoffs. In a month that features seven games, including six at home, TFC has picked up just six of a possible 15 points to date. 'We talked about May being an important month for us and we've missed some opportunities with the home games,' said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. 'And we look at these last two games [in May] and it's our last opportunities to really take advantage of this home stretch. 'The fact that we're playing against two very good teams just makes it more challenging. But it doesn't make it any less important that we get wins. I would say points, but certainly where we are [in the standings], we need wins. To finish this month with a couple of good results would obviously make everyone feel better.' Philadelphia tops the East and trails Vancouver by one point in the Supporters' Shield standings. The Union arrive unbeaten in nine matches (6-0-3) in all competitions – and 17 points ahead of Toronto. 'A very good team,' said Fraser. 'I really like the fact that they play like a team. They seem to move in unison – in attack and defence. No prima donnas, nobody's taking plays off. And I have a ton of respect for teams that operate that way.' 'We expect it to be a very difficult game,' he added. 'A very challenging game.' Philadelphia forward Tai Baribo, an Israeli international, leads the league with 13 goals, while 21-year-old midfielder Quinn Sullivan is tied for second with seven assists. As a team, Philadelphia tops the league with 37 assists. Vancouver is second with 32 assists, while Toronto is further down the table with 14. The good news for Fraser is his injury list is getting shorter with defenders Raoul Petretta and Henry Wingo, and midfielder Markus Cimermancic all available Wednesday. Star fullback Richie Laryea, sidelined by a hamstring injury since March 1, could return on the weekend. TFC is still missing injured defenders Nicksoen Gomis and Kobe Franklin, along with forward Deandre Kerr. And there are more holes to be filled with star winger Federico Bernardeschi and defender Kosi Thompson, both suspended Wednesday for yellow card accumulation. 'I can't quite get all the pieces together at the same time,' lamented Fraser. 'I wish the results were better because I would love to say that guys have stepped up and they've done well. And to be fair, we have. We just haven't taken enough games over the line to really prove that we're doing well as a team.' Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake returned to training Monday from a knee injury and will be available, said coach Bradley Carnell. The 34-year-old Jamaican international, who has been named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year three times, has only played in nine league games this season with his last outing May 3 in a 2-1 win at Montreal. TFC is unbeaten in its last three meetings with Philadelphia (2-0-1) and has a 14-11-8 edge (including 10-3-4 at BMO Field) in career regular-season meetings. The Union last won in Toronto in May 2019. 'They're an aggressive team,' said Carnell. 'They have a very competitive midfield. [Jonathan] Osorio brings a bit of experience there, too. And they're very dangerous on the flanks They're very good in transition. I would say probably one of the most transitional teams that we're going to face now. So in terms of managing both [penalty] boxes, we're going to have to be on high alert and aware of that.' The MLS Disciplinary Committee took notice of Lorenzo Insigne's aggression in the weekend loss to Nashville, handing the Toronto star an undisclosed fine 'for violating the league's policy regarding hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent.' The incident in question came in stoppage time after Toronto's Kosi Thompson scythed Nashville fullback Daniel Lovitz to the ground in a lunging tackle. Unimpressed by the complaints of Lovitz, a former TFC player, Insigne cheekily grabbed a piece of his cheek. Thompson was booked on the play but Insigne escaped punishment. Philadelphia heads to Texas after the Toronto game for a Saturday contest at FC Dallas – its ninth and final match of the month. 'I've experienced a lot of busy months but I'm not sure I'm going to experience [one like] this one for quite some time. But I'm enjoying it,' said Carnell. 'Every coach, every player all they want to do is play games. The way that we are distributing the minutes, the way that we're rotating [the roster], I think the health within the group is very good. So right now we feel like we can be competitive wherever we may go.' The focus is on international play after the weekend, with a FIFA international window opening.
