Fresh off winning their first match of the 2025 MLS campaign last week, Toronto welcome New York City FC to BMO Field on Saturday.
An early goal last weekend enabled the Reds to defeat Real Salt Lake 1-0, moving them up to 14th in the Eastern Conference table, four points below the Pigeons for 10th, with the latter losing 2-0 to the New England Revolution.
Match preview
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At last, Robin Fraser has his first victory as Toronto head coach, with the former Colorado Rapids boss naming an unchanged squad in their previous match to the one that drew Minnesota United 0-0.
That win extended their unbeaten run in this competition to four matches, their longest stretch without an MLS defeat since May-June 2023 (four games).
On Saturday, they can win consecutive league fixtures for the first time since July-August 2024 and end a six-match winless run domestically at BMO Field, a streak that dates back to the previous campaign.
Over their current unbeaten run, the Reds have been better organised defensively, allowing a goal or fewer in their last four games with two clean sheets.
Toronto have had difficulty finding the back of the net at home this season, netting just once in three encounters and failing to score in four of their last six domestic affairs at BMO Field.
The Reds have points in three of their last four MLS home games versus NYCFC, with their last victory against them at BMO Field taking place in 2023 (1-0).
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Pascal Jansen witnessed another subpar display from his team last week as they continue to slide down the Eastern Conference table.
At the moment, there is not a lot for the first-year head coach to like about his side's performances, with the Boys in Blue losing three of their last four league contests.
On the positive side though, they are just a single point below the Eastern Conference playoff line, and only two points currently separate them from Nashville SC in sixth.
The Boys in Blue have just two points in their five MLS away matches played this year, while failing to find the back of the net on three of those occasions.
Dating back to the previous MLS campaign, this team have won just one of their last 15 league contests away from home and would equal their longest losing run in this competition from a year ago (three games) with a defeat on Saturday.
Last season, New York City hung onto a 3-2 victory over Toronto, their first win against them at BMO Field since 2018, when they beat TFC by that same score.
Team News
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Lower body injuries kept Richie Laryea, Henry Wingo, Zane Monlouis and Deandre Kerr on the Toronto sidelines last week, and all four are questionable for Saturday.
Theo Corbeanu scored his first MLS goal in their victory over RSL, with former New York City keeper Sean Johnson stopping five shots for his third clean sheet of the campaign.
NYCFC were once again without Malachi Jones due to a leg injury versus the Revs, while Jacob Arroyave was sidelined because of a sore knee.
Andres Perea who has missed a good portion of the season with a sore hip, featured last weekend, coming on for Jonny Shore in the second half, while Monsef Bakrar was the only newcomer in the starting 11, coming in for Keaton Parks.
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Thompson, Long, Rosted, Petretta; Flores, Osorio; Bernardeschi, Insigne, Corbeanu; Etienne
New York City FC possible starting lineup:
Freese; Ilenic, Martins, Haak, O'Toole; Parks, Perea; Wolf, Moralez, Ojeda; Martinez
We say: Toronto 2-1 New York City FC
The Reds' first victory of the year should give them plenty of confidence heading into this game, particularly given how disciplined they have been at the back in recent games.
Nothing is going all that well for the Pigeons right now, and we believe their struggles will continue this weekend as no one has stepped up for them in recent matches.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
