Second-half goals lift defending MLS champion Columbus past Toronto FC

Toronto FC forward Lorenzo Insigne (24) is defended by Columbus Crew defender Andres Herrera, during first half MLS soccer action, in Toronto on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Katsarov

After a first half that saw Toronto FC on the front foot, it took Columbus Crew star Cucho Hernandez just six minutes to spoil the show for the locals.

Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe, who spent seven years with the Toronto academy, set up the first Columbus goal, staving off defender Richie Laryea to feed Hernandez who entered the game to start the second half. The 25-year-old Colombian star paused, took a look to see where goalkeeper Sean Johnson was before curling in a shot from the edge of the penalty box for his 14th goal of the season.

The goal, before an announced crowd of 21,355 at BMO Field, snapped a 231-minute drought for Columbus. Andrés Herrera added another to help defending champion Columbus blank Toronto 2-0 in MLS play Wednesday. 

Toronto (11-16-3) had more of the attack in a scoreless first half but failed to profit from it.

"A difficult night," said Toronto coach John Herdman. "We should have taken something out of the first half. That was pretty clear."

Herrera, on loan from Argentina's River Plate, padded the lead in the 70th minute, winning a battle with Raoul Petretta in the Toronto penalty box before slotting in a low shot for his first MLS goal. Toronto argued that the Argentine wingback had fouled Petretta in getting the ball but referee Guido Gonzales Jr. was unmoved. 

Toronto outshot Columbus 10-7 but the Crew had a 4-3 edge in shots on target. Both teams had an xG (expected goals) of 0.8.

Columbus (15-5-8) arrived in third place in the Eastern Conference, five places and 14 points ahead of Toronto. A playoff position already clinched, the Crew were hoping to leapfrog Cincinnati into second spot.

Wilfried Nancy becomes just the fifth MLS coach in the post-shootout era to win at least 15 games in three straight seasons (two with Columbus and one with CF Montreal).

Coming off a 2-0 weekend win over visiting Austin FC, Toronto had won four of six league outings (4-2-0) since losing 4-0 to Columbus on July 6 at Lower.com Field. 

TFC is looking to move up the table to avoid the wild-card playoff that pits No. 8 against No. 9 with the winner facing the top seed in the conference (currently Inter Miami).

Toronto remains two points below seventh-place Charlotte, which lost 2-0 at Orlando on Wednesday but still has a game in hand over TFC. Philadelphia thumped New York City FC 5-1 to leapfrog D.C. United into ninth place, three points behind TFC with a game in hand.

Worrying for Toronto is the fact that there are four teams within four points of it and all four have a game in hand.

TFC visits Colorado on Saturday, before playing at Vancouver on Sept. 25 in the Canadian Championship final and Chicago on Sept. 28. Toronto then closes the regular season at home to the Red Bulls on Oct. 2 and Inter Miami on Oct. 5.

Adding to that logjam is a growing injury concern, with both captain Jonathan Osorio and Italian star Lorenzo Insigne exiting early on the night.

Osorio, who required treatment on his left thigh late in the first half, was replaced at halftime after reporting some tightness. 

"He managed it for 10 minutes. He wanted to push after halftime but we've done that before with Jon and we've ended up missing him for a lot longer than we'd hoped," said Herdman. "Hopefully we caught him at the right time and it's something he can come back (from), for that cup final that's just around the corner."

Insigne limped off in the 70th minute with a tight calf.

"It was disappointing. He was starting to tighten," said Herdman. "It's a game where a player like that has to stay on the field and help you win a football match. He has to. I mean that's what he's come to this club for — to win big games. Unfortunately he was tight and he had to come out."

Federico Bernardeschi came close to putting Toronto ahead in the seventh minute, taking a fine pass from Alonso Coello and cutting into the penalty box only to see his powerful left-footed shot hit the crossbar with goalkeeper Patrick Schulte beaten.

Schulte made a fine foot save to deny Insigne from close-range in the 22nd minute off a Bernardeschi feed on a TFC counter-attack. 

Columbus' first shot on goal — right at Johnson — came from Herrera in the 35th minute.

Toronto midfielder Brandon Servania came on in the 82nd minute, his first MLS action since undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

"I'm proud of him," said Herdman. "That's a 10-month return … He's put a hell of a shift in. He's been patient for this opportunity."

Toronto was thin in defence with Nicksoen Gomis, Henry Wingo and Kevin Long out with hamstring injuries and Shane O'Neill suspended for yellow-card accumulation. Rosted and Etienne came in for Gomis and Wingo.

Toronto fielded a back three of Petretta, Sigurd Rosted and Laryea. 

Rossi was the only one of Columbus' three designated players in the starting 11 with captain Darlington Nagbe and Hernandez on the bench to start as Nancy looked to deal with a congested schedule.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024