Toronto FC can’t hold onto early lead against Orlando City SC, falls to fifth straight loss

TORONTO — John Herdman had a blunt message after Toronto FC slumped to its fifth straight loss and noticed its winless slide stretch to eight video games (0-6-2).

“This must be a turning level for the membership tonight. I mentioned that to the gamers after the sport,” Herdman mentioned after watching Orlando Metropolis SC rally from an early deficit Wednesday to dispatch TFC 2-1. “It must be the turning level.

“There’s acquired to be some arduous conversations within the subsequent two days. Beginning with all of us taking a look at ourselves within the mirror.”

Derrick Etienne Jr. scored for Toronto, which led after 5 minutes however went into halftime trailing 2-1. Martin Ojeda scored for Orlando, which additionally benefited from an personal purpose by Toronto defender Nicksoen Gomis.

Herdman was left questioning a couple of 20-minute interval within the first half that noticed Toronto’s drive diminish, permitting Orlando again into the sport and hand Toronto its fifth defeat in its final six house league matches.

“It is the story of TFC this season,” he lamented. “These 20-minute durations, the place, for no matter cause, whether or not we’re enjoying at house or away, there’s simply not that want or depth.”

TFC, outscored 13-4 in the course of the dropping streak, launched 13 photographs Wednesday however managed only one shot on track. Orlando managed simply three on track.

It does not get any simpler with an away recreation Saturday at reigning champion Columbus. And Etienne hobbled off within the 67th minute with what might be the newest in a line of TFC hamstring accidents.

Whereas Toronto pressed arduous late within the recreation, it could not pull even with Herdman saying the crew might be on the lookout for assist when the switch window opens once more.

The victory pulled Orlando (6-9-6) even on factors with Toronto (7-12-3) with a recreation in hand.

Orlando arrived with its personal issues, coming off a 4-2 loss at New York Metropolis FC and having received simply one in every of its earlier seven outings (1-4-2).

It was a recreation brief on leisure for the introduced crowd of 23,877 at BMO Discipline however with a good diploma of niggle, particularly within the second half, with seven yellow playing cards (with 4 going to TFC).

Regardless of a string of early giveaways, Toronto went forward within the fifth minute by means of Etienne. Federico Bernardeschi, named to the MLS all-star recreation earlier within the week, discovered fellow wingback Raoul Petretta with an extended ball on the again publish. Petretta headed the ball again throughout purpose and Etienne, with the Orlando defence in disarray, hammered it house from shut vary for his second purpose in Toronto colors.

Orlando, with Ojeda pulling the strings, started to seek out its footing and tied the sport within the twenty seventh minute. Facundo Torres slipped the ball to Colombian Ivan Angulo, who beat Bernardeschi to ship in a wonderful cross that an unmarked Ojeda, a delegated participant from Argentina, headed house for his second of the season.

Lorenzo Insigne, starved of the ball, lastly acquired his likelihood within the thirty ninth minute, bending a shot from distance simply large of the Orlando goalpost. However the Italian star was a bystander for lengthy stretches of the half.

Orlando saved probing and went forward within the forty fifth minute when Torres’s cross deflected off Gomis’s leg previous goalkeeper Sean Johnson. It took simply two Orlando passes to cowl the Toronto half of the sphere with seven defenders within the Toronto penalty field when the purpose was scored.

Ojeda was substituted within the 69th minute and didn’t look comfortable about it. Toronto midfielder Deybi Flores was cautioned two minutes later, incomes a suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Kosi Thompson had an opportunity to tie the sport in stoppage time however his shot rattled off the crossbar. Luis Muriel then shot large on the different finish.

Each groups had their beginning goalkeepers again from worldwide obligation at Copa America — Johnson with the U.S. and Pedro Gallese, together with midfielder Wilder Cartagena, from Peru.

Johnson had followers’ hearts of their mouth within the twelfth minute when he misplayed the ball, which just about rolled into the Toronto purpose. However the veteran ‘keeper calmly retrieved it after which dribbled previous an Orlando attacker earlier than sending the ball up the pitch

Toronto captain/midfielder Jonathan Osorio and fullback/wingback Richie Laryea stay at Copa America with Canada advancing to the knockout spherical.

Herdman made three adjustments to the beginning 11 overwhelmed 2-1 on a freak 97th-minute purpose on the weekend in Atlanta with Johnson, Thompson and Aime Mabika slotting in.

TFC’s damage checklist consists of wingback Tyrese Spicer and midfielders Alonso Coello and Brandon Servania. Centre again Kevin Lengthy was suspended for yellow card accumulation.

Orlando is now undefeated in its final 5 journeys to BMO Discipline (3-0-2), final dropping there in Might 2018.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first printed July 3, 2024