Toronto FC, Still Trying to Shed Old Habits, Visit Red Bulls
Toronto FC will aim to bounce back from a gutting loss as they travel to face the New York Red Bulls on Saturday in Harrison, N.J.
Toronto FC’s Recent Struggles
Toronto (7-9-3, 24 points) took a 1-0 lead over visiting Nashville SC in the 34th minute on Wednesday, thanks to Alonso Coello’s first MLS goal. However, Sam Surridge scored in the 65th and 90th minutes, allowing Nashville to escape with a 2-1 win and extending the Reds’ winless streak to five matches (0-3-2).
“I was proud of about 55-60 minutes tonight but that last 30 … just feels like old TFC is back,” Herdman said after the match. “We just wobble, we look unsure, we look timid. We look like we can score. But when we look like we can score, we look like they’re going to score the other way very quickly, and that’s a challenge.”
John Herdman about the team’s recurring issues
Challenges Ahead
Toronto will now attempt to do what no other team has done this year: beat the Red Bulls at home. New York is 5-0-3 at home in 2024, making this a formidable task for Toronto.
New York Red Bulls’ Resilience
The Red Bulls (8-4-7, 31 points) return home after erasing a 2-0 deficit at CF Montreal, securing a 2-2 draw with goals from Wikelman Carmona and Julian Hall. Head coach Sandro Schwarz highlighted the team’s dominant stretches: “I’m not frustrated (with the result) because I want (us) to play like we are dominant. When you want to be successful, you need these moments to be dominant, and this is what we have to learn,” Schwarz said.
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Rising Star: Julian Hall
Julian Hall, just 16 years old, became the second-youngest goal-scorer in MLS history with his 88th-minute equalizer against Montreal, almost immediately after entering as an 87th-minute substitute.
Toronto’s Injury Woes
Herdman claims that Toronto will be without Tyrese Spicer for the next six weeks due to a back injury, in addition to absences caused by Copa America. Spicer, the primary generally speaking pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, has shown up and 10 beginnings, posting two objectives and two helps.
Conclusion
As Toronto FC faces the New York Red Bulls, both teams have clear objectives. Toronto aims to break their winless streak and avoid falling into old habits, while the Red Bulls seek to maintain their unbeaten home record and build on their recent resilience. The match promises to test both teams’ resolve and ability to adapt under pressure.
“When you want to be successful, you need these moments to be dominant, and this is what we have to learn,”
Sandro Schwarz