Toronto

With Raul Ruidiaz still unavailable due to a hamstring injury, Dylan Teves's 39th-minute goal opened the scoring for the Sounders in his first MLS start, before Fredy Montero scored in the 60th minute.

Teves was left with a relatively simple finish to make it 1-0, tapping in from close range after some fine individual work from Leo Chu.

Brian Schmetzer's side did not face much trouble following Teves' opener, with Montero's goal sealing a sixth MLS win from ten games since they claimed the CONCACAF Champions League in May.

Meanwhile in the West, Los Angeles FC opened the door for Austin FC and Real Salt Lake, losing 1-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Andres Cubas kept the Whitecaps within touching distance of the playoff spots, coolly finishing from just outside the penalty area in the 89th minute after a chaotic passage of play.

LAFC still hold respective five and seven-point gaps to Austin and Salt Lake atop the Western Conference, with the latter two still to play on Sunday and Monday.

Goals from Lewis Morgan and Luquinhas secured the three points for NYRB, with Morgan scoring his seventh for the season, heading in from a corner in only the second minute.

Luquinhas assured the three points in the 56th, spectacularly chipping over Quentin Westberg from outside the penalty area after Tom Barlow was initially denied when put through one-on-one.

With only one win in their previous six games, the three points were critical for Gerhard Struber's side.

The Philadelphia Union could only secure a 1-1 draw at home to Cincinnati, meaning they join New York City on 26 points at the top of the Eastern Conference, but City are still to play on Sunday against the Colorado Rapids.

An Ercan Kara brace helped Orlando City move into fourth position in the East, backing up from Wednesday's draw in New England to beat Houston Dynamo 2-1.

They leapfrogged CF Montreal, who lost 1-0 to a ten-man Austin FC, following Maxi Urruti's goal in the 67th minute.

Elsewhere in the East, Chicago Fire defeated DC United 1-0 in the battle between the conference's bottom-placed teams, while Columbus Crew and Charlotte played out a 1-1 draw.

There were also stalemates at the top of the Western Conference, with Los Angeles FC and the Seattle Sounders managing a 1-1 draw, as well as Los Angeles Galaxy and Portland Timbers.

It allowed Real Salt Lake to move two points from LAFC, following their 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes in Saturday's final game.

Salt Lake captain Marcelo Silva opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after Jefferson Savarino's flick-on from a corner, and Savarino doubled the margin in the 81st with a fine solo effort.

The Vancouver Whitecaps stayed within touching of the West's playoff spots, meanwhile, defeating FC Dallas 2-0.

The unbeaten top two in the pool could not be separated despite some big chances, meaning they are each guaranteed to at least qualify as a best-ranked third-placed side on five points apiece.

Toronto's Ayo Akinola has five goals already in the competition but failed to add to his tally as the goalkeepers excelled at either end, with Matt Turner twice denying the in-form forward.

Akinola also saw the late award of a penalty overturned after a VAR review showed DeJuan Jones' desperate foul occurred outside the area.

Eastern Conference leaders Toronto had the chance to tie the record for consecutive regular-season matches without defeat, but they were upstaged by their Canadian rivals.

A 14th-minute header from Rudy Camacho was the difference at BMO Field in Toronto, where the Impact defender was left unmarked to head home Romell Quioto's cross.

Toronto thought they had equalised via the penalty spot in chaotic scenes in first-half stoppage time, following a foul on Jozy Altidore.

Alejandro Pozuelo and Pablo Piatti combined, the former rolling the ball forward for the latter to fire a penalty past Impact goalkeeper Clement Diop.

Referee Drew Fischer, however, ruled out the goal after Piatti was judged to have entered the penalty area before Pozuelo passed the ball forward.

In the 95th minute, Montreal's Emanuel Maciel was sent off for a challenge on Toronto captain Michael Bradley but VAR downgraded the card to yellow.

Toronto remain a point clear of Columbus Crew in the east, while Montreal are five points off the pace in fifth.

Piatti opened his MLS account with a double before Nick DeLeon's late goal at BMO Field as Toronto moved within a point of Eastern Conference leaders Columbus Crew.

The former Espanyol and Valencia attacker arrived at Toronto in February and showed his class.

Piatti unleashed a stunning 27th-minute opener for Toronto with a 30-yard rocket.

Toronto doubled their lead 10 minutes into the second half as Piatti struck again.

After receiving a pass from Jonathan Osorio, Piatti found the bottom corner from inside the area.

DeLeon came off the bench to seal the win in the 83rd minute, curling in after a wonderful pass from Alejandro Pozuelo.

Toronto currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference but are four points behind Orlando City.

They have struggled to get going since being knocked out of the Leagues Cup in the group stage, winning just one of three games since returning to MLS action.

After a disappointing 3-1 defeat to D.C. United last time out, Herdman says they need to learn how to keep their high level of performance going to the very end of games.

"In a playoff run, you have to be disciplined in the last 30 minutes of games, whether it's decision-making to change and adapt with players coming in and changing positions, or the team allowing itself to get stretched," Herdman said.

"We struggled with that against D.C. If you're going to push for a genuine playoff run, you have to respect that defending part of the game, you cannot allow yourself to get stretched."

Meanwhile, Austin are 11th in the Western Conference, having followed up a win over Nashville SC with a 1-0 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps.

With the end of the regular season coming closer, Josh Wolff acknowledged his players know just how important it is for them to get points on the board.

"Every game is critical, home and away. In both conferences, you can see the playoff line, and it's all relevant," Wolff said.

"We, like many teams, have to make the most of these opportunities. You have to start the game in a good way and go there with the intention of getting three points because the home team have their own intentions."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Deandre Kerr

Deandre Kerr scored his 10th regular-season goal for Toronto in the loss to D.C. United on August 31.

At 21 years old, Kerr is the second player to reach double-figure goals for the Reds before turning 22, along with Ayo Akinola (13 goals).

Austin FC – Julio Cascante

Austin failed to register a shot on target in their 1-0 loss to Vancouver on August 31, the fourth time this season the Verde have not hit the target in a match.

Julio Cascante came off the bench and had one of Austin's six shots, with his effort having the highest expected goal rate of 0.35.

MATCH PREDICTION: AUSTIN FC WIN

The only previous meeting between Toronto and Austin was a 1-0 home win for the Verde in May 2023. Gyasi Zardes scored the game's only goal in second-half stoppage time.

Austin earned a 2-0 win at Nashville in their last away match on August 24. Austin last won consecutive away matches during a four-match road winning streak in June-July 2022.

Meanwhile, Toronto have lost five of their last six home matches (W1), including a 3-1 loss to D.C. United on August 31. Toronto have lost 13 regular-season home matches since July 2023 (W7), more than any other team in that time.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 34.6%

Draw – 25.9%

Austin FC – 39.5%

Montreal were beaten 3-1 by Columbus Crew in midweek and are now without a victory in six games in all competitions.

That includes a three-game losing streak in MLS, leaving them 13th in the Eastern Conference, and Courtois is eager to get back on track.

"It's up to me to find the winning formulas and discern the phases of the game," head coach Courtois said after the loss to Columbus.

"We have to grit our teeth and find solutions. The difficult times we are going through help me identify my group. I want to know the players better. 

"From all the negative aspects we can observe, I can identify a few individual aspects to improve the game or the team itself."

Monreal's rivals Toronto have themselves lost back-to-back games ahead of Saturday's Canadian Classique at BMO Field.

Nashville SC scored twice late on to snatch a 2-0 win in the Reds' most recent match, but acting head coach Jason deVos admits there can be no excuses.

"The last ten minutes, two mistakes cost us and that's the cruelty of football sometimes - that it's a 90-minute match and you need to put in a 90-minute performance in," he said. 

"The players are aware of that. They know where the growth areas are for us as a team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto - Federico Bernardeschi

Bernardeschi missed the loss to Nashville but will hope to start this weekend in a fixture he has fond memories of. 

The Italian has scored in each of his two home games against Montreal, making him the third Toronto player to score in two successive home games against them after Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley.

Montreal - Joel Waterman

Montreal have conceded three or more goals five times across their 12 MLS games this season, which is tied with San Jose Earthquakes for the most in MLS.

They quite simply need to sharpen up at the back, with Joel Waterman needing to step up and hope others around him also do so.. The centre-back led the way for interceptions (three) and clearances (four) against Columbus, yet it was still not enough.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Montreal have won five successive matches against Toronto, following a run of neither side ever winning more than three on the spin in this fixture.

Toronto have won seven and drawn one of their eight matches in which they have held opponents under two goals since September, while they have lost all 13 in which they have shipped two or more.

Keeping the opposition quiet is therefore key, and this could present a chance to do just that against a Montreal side with fewer points (five) than any side in MLS since mid-March.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto - 39.6%
Draw - 28.5%
Montreal - 31.9%

The Reds bounced back from their defeat to D.C. United with a 2-1 win over Austin FC last time out, moving to within two points of the top seven in the Eastern Conference.

Herdman was able to rest a number of his key players, including Lorenzo Insigne, and is confident his players can pick up a first win against their opponents in six matches.

“We’ve got to harden up. We've got to do the recovery. We've got to embrace the challenge,” said Herdman of the quick turnaround.

“It's an exciting opportunity to have Columbus at home. Not many people give you much chance against that team, the quality they have, but we were able to [partially] rest Lorenzo [Insigne] tonight. You could see that first 45, he was hungry and sharp.

“We managed to [leave] some gas [in] his tank ready to play a big match against Columbus. “I'm sure he'll be up for it.”

Columbus, meanwhile, secured their place in the playoffs with a goalless draw with FC Cincinnati, but there was disappointment among Wilfried Nancy’s squad.

The Crew managed just three shots on target from the 12 they attempted, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.32 compared to Cincinnati’s 0.28.

And while they kept a 10th clean sheet, the most in the MLS this season, head coach Nancy reiterated the importance of improvements ahead of their trip to Toronto.

“Obviously, it was the first objective because you know me with the number of wins [13-14], and we achieved it,” Nancy said.

“This is good because we cannot take anything for granted. I'm happy that we clinched the playoffs already.

“Now we're going to be able to go all in and to push a little bit more.

"Obviously, I would say it's normal to make the playoffs because we have to make the playoff in this club.

“Now we cannot take everything for granted because it's been a long season, this is not done, and the players are real competitors. They deserve it.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Jonathan Osorio

Osorio was in fine form in Toronto's triumph over Austin, notching a goal and an assist for Deandre Kerr's strike to secure the victory. 

His showing took him to 100 regular season goal involvements for Toronto (48 goals and 52 assists), joining Sebastian Giovinco (120) as the only players to reach that milestone for the Reds in the MLS. 

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

Having failed to find the back of the net in his last two MLS fixtures, Columbus' joint-top scorer Rossi will be hopeful of returning to form at BMO Field. 

In his previous four fixtures with Toronto, the Uruguayan has notched three goals and three assists and has also won three of his four meetings with the Reds (D1). 

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

The Crew come into the encounter having lost one of their previous five away matches (W3 D1), scoring 12 goals in that run. 

Columbus have also got the better of their opponents of late and are unbeaten in their last six MLS matches against the Reds (W5 D1), outscoring Toronto 13-4 during their unbeaten run. 

Toronto, however, are looking for their first league win in fixtures between the two teams since May 2021, but will have to do so on home soil, a ground where they have triumphed only twice in their last seven home matches (L5). 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 17.8%

Draw – 19.9%

Columbus Crew – 62.3%

D.C. prop up the Eastern Conference standings with 26 points from as many games this term, but the congested nature of the table means they are within two points of a wild-card place.

Toronto currently occupy the first of those places, sitting five points clear of D.C. having played one additional game, and Lesesne knows that fact gives Saturday's matchup additional importance.

"We're all well aware of the table and we do try to bring that into view for the players," Lesesne said.

"But also, with eight games left, there's a lot still to be played for. This week, we have another opportunity right in front of us.

"We have to stick to what we want to do as a team. We have Toronto this week, they're in eighth place and a few points ahead of us, so closing that gap has to be our focus right now."

Toronto have won both of their matches since returning from the Leagues Cup break, beating the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in MLS last week then triumphing 1-0 versus Forge in the Canadian Championship semi-finals on Wednesday.

Youngster Kosi Thompson has impressed in central midfield for the Reds lately despite coming through the ranks as a winger, and he now has one eye on making it on the international scene.

"I've learned that it's a man's game," Thompson said. "I was born in Toronto, and it's one of the biggest hotspots in Canada for football, so I would love to represent the national team. 

"It's just about being patient and putting the work in to get there."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Toronto FC – Federico Bernardeschi 

Bernardeschi (eight goals, eight assists) is the fourth player in Toronto's MLS history to record at least eight goals and eight assists in a single regular-season campaign, after Sebastian Giovinco (four times), Alejandro Pozuelo and Victor Vazquez (twice apiece).

D.C. United – Christian Benteke 

Benteke headed home D.C. United's opening goal as they lost 4-3 to FC Dallas last week, his 11th headed goal in regular-season play, more than any other D.C. player over the last 15 MLS seasons.

MATCH PREDICTION – TORONTO FC WIN

Toronto have only lost one of their last seven home matches against D.C. (four wins, two draws, including playoffs), including winning the last two in a row. 

Toronto have never won three straight home matches against D.C. United, but after recording two straight shutout wins in regular-season play for the second time this term, could they achieve that feat here?

D.C. won 3-2 at Minnesota United on their last away outing in MLS, but that is their only road win in the competition since early May, losing four and drawing one of their last six.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Toronto FC – 43.5%

D.C. United – 29.7%

Draw – 26.8%

Last year's Supporters' Shield champions have won their last six matches, equalling the best streak in their league history, which they achieved last campaign.

They trail Eastern Conference leaders Inter Miami by just one point with a game in hand, having turned their season around after a slow start.

Noonan believes time spent on the training ground, particularly with offseason arrivals, has been the major factor.

"I think it's just about the understanding of some of the roles. With new faces, that always takes time," Noonan said.

"We've had 13 or 14 games together now and with games and with time, there's better chemistry, better understanding of relationships."

On Toronto, he added: "It's been a good week for them, and I think in terms of structure and personnel, there's a lot of things that are similar."

Toronto are fifth in the Eastern standings after crushing rivals CF Montreal 5-1 in their last league game.

They followed up that win by beating Saint-Laurent 8-1 in the Canadian Championship on Tuesday, and boss John Herdman is delighted to see their forwards enjoying themselves. 

"They're just enjoying their football at the minute, really enjoying it," Herdman said. "I've got to tip my hat to the lads. I just can't wait to see this whole team playing together. 

"I think there are more levels here and I can't wait to keep pushing for them in the next three or four weeks."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Lorenzo Insigne  

Federico Bernardeschi scored his first career hat-trick in Toronto's derby win last week, but then picked up a late booking that will cause him to be suspended for this game. 

Six of the eight hat-tricks scored by Toronto players in MLS have now been scored by Italians, with Sebastian Giovinco netting five. With Bernardeschi out, Insigne must step up.

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta 

Acosta has contributed to at least one goal in a club-record eight straight matches, after recording a goal and two assists in a 3-1 win over St. Louis City last week. 

The only longer streak in MLS since the start of last season was a nine-game run by the Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez, from April to June 2023.

MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN

Toronto ended a four-match losing streak against Cincinnati on February 25 with a scoreless draw on the road. 

Cincinnati had won six of the previous seven meetings between the teams, in a run dating back to the start of the 2021 season (one defeat).

The Orange and Blue are favourites for this battle between Eastern Conference contenders, having won 30 of their last 49 regular-season games dating back to October 2022. No team in the post-shootout era has ever won 31 times in a span of 50 matches. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 22.7%

FC Cincinnati – 56.4%

Draw – 20.9%

Dallas sit 13th in the West with just two wins from nine matches this year, though they snapped a seven-game winless run by beating the Houston Dynamo 2-0 last week.   

Just as Estevez refused to be too critical of his players during their poor run of form, he will avoid getting too high off the back of a single victory.

"As we always say, we're never too high and never too low. It's about taking the positive things that we did against Houston to carry through the week, having the same mentality," Estevez said.

"Also, with some of the things that we didn't do well, we'll keep improving on those.

"As we always say, it is a process and we're trying to keep growing throughout the season, while getting results."

Toronto, meanwhile, sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with 16 points from their first 10 MLS games under John Herdman.

They scored two late goals to overturn a 1-0 deficit and clinch a third straight victory against Orlando City last time out, leaving Herdman to credit his players for their resilience.

"We showed a good mentality to set the tone on how we wanted to approach it," he said.

"I thought the guys were brave from the front and stamped their physical dominance on the game. To see the shift they put in was exceptional. It was a complete performance."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Prince Osei Owusu

Owusu has scored five goals for Toronto in MLS this year, his latest being a 90th-minute winner against Orlando last week. He has had 15 shots overall in 2024, converting 33.33 per cent of those. 

FC Dallas – Petar Musa 

Musa has scored in each of Dallas' last two matches, against the Colorado Rapids and Houston. 

He has scored (three goals) or assisted (one) four of his team's seven MLS goals since the beginning of March, demonstrating his importance. 

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Toronto won their first-ever meeting with Dallas 4-0 in June 2007, but Dallas have only lost one of 18 subsequent regular-season meetings (11 wins, six draws).

Dallas, though, are winless in their last 11 games against Eastern Conference opponents across all competitions (five draws, six losses), dating back to a 1-0 win over Inter Miami last April.

Toronto have more league wins this season (five) than they managed through the entirety of 2023 (four), but Dallas have only lost one of their last four. A draw could be on the cards in Canada.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 34.8%

FC Dallas – 35.6%

Draw – 29.6%

City enter Saturday's contest at BMO Field sitting fourth in the East following back-to-back home victories against Nashville SC and FC Dallas.

Nick Cushing's side are unbeaten in nine home league games stretching back into last season, but they have taken just two points from a possible 12 on their travels this term.

With a run of four successive road games to come, Martins is eager for NYCFC to get off the mark with their first away victory.

"It's not easy, but we need to impose ourselves away from home," he said. "We know away from home they press higher, they have the atmosphere, the stadium, the fans.

"We need to be brave and play the same way we play when we play with our fans in our stadium.

"We played very well last week, but if you want to be a good team, a top team, we need to play like last week away from home. It's difficult, but we need to impose ourselves."

Toronto are six points worse off than NYCFC after winning just one of their opening nine matches, with a league-high six of those games finishing all square.

The Canadian club's seven-game unbeaten run was ended by the Philadelphia Union last week, but midfielder Jonathan Osorio hopes the visit of NYCFC can prove a turning point.

"We're trying to figure it out," he said. "This season has been a weird one to really put your finger on. We're just trying to figure out how we can take the next step.

"The guys are together, speaking, letting their opinions out and seeing where we can move forward and get better. The guys in the locker room care.

"We'll be working really hard this week to figure it out and put it all together to put in a much better performance on Saturday in front of our home crowd."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Jonathan Osorio

Osorio assisted both of Toronto's goals in last week's loss in Philadelphia, though those goals from Lorenzo Insigne and Richie Laryea came after the Reds had fallen 4-0 behind.

He completed 105 passes in that match, making him the only player since such data was first recorded in 2010 to complete at least 100 passes and assist multiple goals in an MLS game.

New York City FC – Santiago Rodriguez

Rodriguez notched his second and third MLS goals of the season in last week's victory against FC Dallas to move within one goal of his career-best tally from 2022.

It marked the first time the 23-year-old had scored more than once in a single MLS match, having netted just twice in his past 17 games in the competition (including playoffs).

MATCH PREDICTION – NYCFC WIN

NYCFC have won just two of their past 10 away matches, compared to eight victories in their past 10 at home.

Toronto are unbeaten in four successive games at BMO Field, meanwhile, and have lost there just twice in their past 11 outings.

But City have lost just five of their 18 regular-season games against Toronto, including only one of the past five, and will see this as a good chance to pick up a rare road win.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 31.5 per cent
New York City FC – 39.9 per cent
Draw – 28.6 per cent

The Red Bulls suffered a humiliating 5-1 home defeat against cross-city rivals New York City last time out, going 2-0 down within just six minutes and 55 seconds of kick-off.

They did, however, clinch a playoff place due to other results going their way, boasting a seven-point cushion over eighth-placed Toronto, who only have two games remaining.

"It was different emotions last weekend," Schwarz said. "We were very disappointed about the game, and on the other side we were satisfied with qualifying for the playoffs.

"When we see the big picture, this was good, but it's more about the emotions from the last game to be honest.

"We had a lot of individual talks, me with individual players, about the game and the behaviour. Now the feeling it was necessary to have this open communication."

Toronto conceded a late equaliser against the Chicago Fire – who are out of playoff contention – on Saturday to damage their postseason hopes.

After that 1-1 draw, John Herdman's side only occupy a wild-card place due to having more wins than the Philadelphia Union and CF Montreal, both of whom have a game in hand.

"We were six minutes away from taking three points, so it's a big missed opportunity," Herdman said. 

"Results in MLS went our way. We could have been two points clear of the other teams. But it is what it is.

"That last goal, if we're fresh, that doesn't happen. All in all, given it's been a heavy week, I thought the lads put a hell of a shift in."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Toronto FC – Prince Osei Owusu 

Owusu scored Toronto's lone goal in their draw with the Fire from the penalty spot. It was just their second penalty goal this season and first on the road since the opening day of the 2023 season. He will hope for a shorter wait for his next opportunity from the spot.

New York Red Bulls – Dante Vanzeir

Vanzeir has scored in each of the Red Bulls' last two matches. He has 13 goal involvements in MLS this term (four goals, nine assists), with only Lewis Morgan registering more for the Red Bulls (14 – 12 goals and two assists).

MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN

The Red Bulls are unbeaten in 11 straight meetings with Toronto in all competitions (seven wins, four draws). New York have also kept clean sheets in each of the last five meetings.

They have won their last two games against Toronto by a 3-0 scoreline, including when the sides last faced off in June. With Toronto winless in four matches in all competitions, they may fancy their chances of another victory.

None of Toronto's last 27 home matches have ended in a draw (12 wins, 15 draws). This equals the longest streak without a home draw in all competitions for an MLS team in the post-shootout era (since 2000), along with the New England Revolution from 2001-02.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 30.1%

New York Red Bulls – 45%

Draw – 24.9%

The Reds' miserable run continued on Saturday as they were beaten 2-1 by Atlanta in remarkable circumstances.

The Five Stripes' Jamal Thiare lurked behind Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran and stole possession from him as he went to kick the ball long, before converting into an empty net. 

Despite the nature of the result, Herdman believes their performance represented a step in the right direction, saying: "The team took a big step.

"The players were all in. You got that sense they were grinding out a result, but also had chances to win it.

"What can you say about the last goal? It's tough. I didn't have too many words. It's just gut-wrenching, but at the same time, there has got to be a response coming into the midweek game at home against Orlando. 

"We've got to keep moving forward. It's tough to take with 10 seconds left. I asked the fourth official how long was left, he said 10, I turned to walk to the bench and it was in the back of the net."

Orlando are also out of sorts, only winning one of their last seven matches (two draws, four losses), and going down 4-2 at New York City last time out.

Midfielder Dagur Dan Thorhallsson says finding a better balance out of possession will be key to changing their fortunes. 

"We've done it before and we know how to do it, but I feel like right now the balance just isn't quite there and that's something that we need to look at," he said.

"It's good that we started scoring, but now we need to stop conceding so many goals."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Toronto FC – Federico Bernardeschi 

Bernardeschi scored his eighth goal in MLS this season – a team-high total – in last week's defeat to Atlanta. 

He has overperformed his expected goals (xG) total of 6.21 for the campaign and ranks joint-fifth in the league for total shots on target (28, alongside Andres Gomez). Can he provide the inspiration?

Orlando City – Duncan McGuire 

McGuire is Orlando's leading scorer for 2024 after netting his seventh goal of the season last time out, with that tally coming from just 12 shots on target.

MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN

Having won seven of nine matches across all competitions between late April and May 22, Toronto have now failed to win any of their last seven (two draws, five defeats).

They have lost their last four, including each of their last two at home – 1-4 versus the Chicago Fire and 1-2 against Nashville SC.

Orlando, meanwhile, have taken 12 points on the road so far this season – a tally only bettered by five Eastern Conference rivals. The Lions are also unbeaten on their last five trips to Toronto, winning on three occasions and drawing twice.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 30.7%

Orlando City – 44.2%

Draw – 25.1%

NYCFC were on a five-game unbeaten run in MLS, winning three matches in a row, before they lost 2-0 to the Colorado Rapids last weekend.

They currently sit seventh with 14 points, but things are tight in the Eastern Conference and another defeat could see NYCFC slip further down the table.

"When you win a three-game homestand, you feel like you're on top of the world," Cushing said.

"And then you lose one, and you feel like you fell off the edge of a cliff.

"This team is on a journey, and it's making progress. I said three, four weeks ago that progress is disheartening, right?

"Progress is demotivating, progress is disappointing. You have to take the punches and go back and figure out how you continue to progress and improve a young team, a new team, to continue to win football games."

Toronto are flying high in the East, sitting third with 19 points after putting together a three-match winning run, and are just five points behind leaders Inter Miami. 

Federico Bernardeschi scored twice as they beat FC Dallas 3-1 last time out in MLS, leaving head coach John Herdman to sing the Italian's praises. 

"I really enjoy working with Fede; there are so many different layers to him," Herdman said. 

"I asked him to stay focused on his leadership. As I keep telling him, if you keep focusing on shaping your leadership, good things happen to good leadership, and the universe turns, and that's what happened."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto – Federico Bernardeschi

Bernardeschi (two goals, one assist) was involved in all three of Toronto’s goals against Dallas last Saturday, making him the first Reds player to record three goal contributions in a match since Jacob Shaffelburg in September 2021.

NYCFC – Mounsef Bakrar

NYCFC lead all MLS teams for touches in the opponent's penalty area per match this year, averaging 30.2.

Among players, Bakrar is second in the league behind only Denis Bouanga (9.5), with 8.1 touches in the opponent’s box per 90 minutes this season (minimum 400 minutes played).

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

NYCFC have won three straight meetings with Toronto, including a 2-1 home win on March 16. It is the first time either team have won three straight meetings in the history of the sides' head-to-head series (26 matches in all competitions).

However, NYCFC have won just one of their 23 away matches in all competitions (nine draws, 13 losses), dating back to the start of last season, though that win came in Canada – a 1-0 victory at CF Montreal last July.

Meanwhile, Toronto have won four straight matches in all competitions after winning four of their previous 29 in all competitions dating back to May 2023. With a win on Saturday, Toronto can equal their points total from the entire 2023 season (22). However, Cushing's visitors are likely to be competitive.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto – 32%

Draw – 29.5%

NYCFC – 38.5%

Union took an early lead after Lukas MacNaughton's 16th-minute own goal before Denmark international Uhre bagged a double before half-time.

Uhre added a third in the 56th minute to round out his hat-trick, tapping in Julian Carranza's low ball across goal and put the contest to bed.

Toronto pulled one back through Italy international Lorenzo Insigne in the 66th minute, before Richie Laryea's stoppage-time consolation.

New England reinforced their grip on top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 home win over Sporting KC, who are last overall.

Giacomo Vrioni netted a first-half brace for the Revs, but Sporting pulled one back in the 50th minute from Johnny Russell, only to be reduced to 10 men when Andreu Fontas was sent off 10 minutes later.

The Revs are ahead of second-placed Cincinnati on goal difference, with Cincy winning 2-1 over Portland Timbers after strikes from Sergio Santos and Brandon Vasquez.

New York City moved up to fourth in the East with a 3-1 home win over Dallas sparked by Santiago Rodriguez's double.

Western Conference leaders St Louis City were denied victory after Michael Barrios' 90th-minute equaliser as they drew 1-1 at Colorado Rapids.

St Louis remain top in the West but only on goal difference from Seattle Sounders who condemned Minnesota United to three straight losses with a 1-0 victory.

Denis Bouanga netted his seventh goal of the MLS season as LAFC drew 1-1 at Nashville, while LA Galaxy snapped their winless start to the campaign with a 2-0 home victory over Austin.

Inter Miami's losing run extended to six in a row, compounding the pressure on boss Phil Neville, as they went down 1-0 at Houston Dynamo.

Real Salt Lake beat San Jose Earthquakes 3-1, Charlotte defeated Columbus Crew 1-0, struggling Montreal edged New York Red Bulls 2-0 and Christian Benteke scored as DC United won 3-1 at Orlando City.

The best defence in the MLS had to chase the result this time after Gustavo Bou's well-taken opener for the Revolution in the 61st minute, with goals from Mikael Uhre and Daniel Gazdag handing the Union the three points.

The Union still created little from open play but they were gifted goals to turn the result around via the dead ball. Uhre equalized in the 75th minute, heading into what was effectively an open goal after Revolution keeper Djordje Petrovic failed to claimed the ball after coming off his line at a corner.

Gazdag then scored the eventual winner in the 79th minute, converting from the penalty spot after he was clumsily shoved by Henry Kessler.

Jim Curtin's side moved to 39 points, building a four-point lead from New York City, whose derby against New York RB on Sunday is one of two games they have in hand.

CF Montreal also moved to outright fourth in the East on Saturday, with Lukas McNaughton's own-goal handing them a 1-0 win over Toronto FC.

Chad Ahston momentarily remains in charge of D.C. United until Wayne's Rooney's work visa is finalized and Minnesota United took full advantage, earning a 2-0 win at home.

The Chicago Fire claimed an upset 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, while Emerson Rodriguez's 93rd-minute goal gave Inter Miami a 3-2 victory over Charlotte FC.

Gonzalo Higuain bagged his second goal of the week for Inter, scoring the equaliser after Yordy Reina's first-half brace gave Charlotte a 2-0 load.

In the Western Conference meanwhile, Austin FC claimed the Copa Tejas with a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas, but now only hold a two-point lead over Los Angeles FC, who have two games in hand.

The race for the last playoff spot in the conference tightened up, with the Colorado Rapids defeating Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0.

Along with the Sounders' loss, only three points now separate the seventh-placed Galaxy from the Rapids, moved to 11th with the win.

Vela struck twice within six first-half minutes, first from the penalty spot before getting in behind the Colorado defence and calmly finishing past goalkeeper William Yarbrough.

The former Mexico international produced his best goal of the game to complete his hat-trick in the 50th minute, curling in a fine left-footed shot from just inside the box.

Vela only managed five goals from 20 MLS appearances last season with LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo cautiously optimistic about his potential impact this term.

“We will have to wait and see what it does. But I think we all know what he can do,” Cherundolo said. “He showed it again today and he worked very hard in preseason to get to where he is today. I'm very happy for him and the group that we're all rewarded for it.”

Yimmi Chara's spectacular 78th-minute goal earned Portland Timbers a 2-2 draw with 2021 Supporters' Shield winners New England Revolution.

Portland, who reached the MLS Cup final last year, found a way back with Chara firing home a stunning overhead goal while Jozy Altidore debuted for the Revs as a 79th-minute substitute.

Ex-Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri made his debut for Chicago Fire as they drew a blank in a 0-0 draw at Inter Miami.

Leonardo Campana's 10th-minute header from Gonzalo Higuain's cross hit the crossbar for Miami, while Chicago's Stanislav Ivanov struck the upright in the 31st minute. Shaqiri was impressive throughout, with a long-range first-half chance his only major goal attempt.

Toronto, who made a major off-season signing with Lorenzo Insigne to join in July, only managed a 1-1 draw at Dallas.

Philadelphia Union started its new season with a 1-1 home draw against Minnesota United, with Cory Burke levelling Robin Lod's 23rd-minute strike.

New York Red Bulls won 3-1 at San Jose Earthquakes, while Columbus Crew swept aside 10-man Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0.

Cecilio Dominguez netted a double as Austin won 5-0 over last year's bottom side Cincinnati, while Michael Estrada scored a brace as DC United eased past newcomers Charlotte 3-0.

Goals in the second half from Carlos Vela and Jose Cifuentes handed LAFC the three points, to put them three points clear of Austin FC, who have a game in hand.

James Igbekeme missed from close range for the Crew in the third minute and with the majority of possession, failed to create anything of substance from that point.

LAFC were able to punish them in transition through Vela in the 62nd minute, darting in behind the defensive line before finishing past Eloy Room.

Cifuentes doubled the margin in the 73rd minute, left with a relatively simple finish after Cristian Arango claimed the ball just outside the penalty area in a comical loss of possession from a Crew goal kick.

The win moves LAFC to 26 points from 13 games but elsewhere in the Western Conference, Nashville SC were unable to move to fourth, twice letting the lead slip in a 2-2 draw with Atlanta United.

In the Eastern Conference, DC United and Toronto FC also played out a 2-2 draw, while Tommy McNamara's spectacular finish in the 89th minute handed the New England Revolution a 3-2 win over Cincinnati.