Toronto FC loses to visiting New York City FC on disputed 64th-minute penalty

TORONTO - Toronto FC has tightened up its defence. But the offence needs work.

Unable to score for the third time in five games, Toronto went down to defeat Saturday with Alonso Martinez's 64th-minute penalty giving New York City FC its first away win of the MLS season with a 1-0 decision on a blustery day at BMO Field.

After conceding 12 goals in its first five games, Toronto (1-5-4) has given up just two in the last five. In addition to scoreless home draws against Vancouver and Minnesota, Toronto drew 1-1 at Inter Miami and won 1-0 at Real Salt Lake last week.

But TFC has not scored in 349 minutes at BMO Field. Deandre Kerr, currently out injured, has the lone Toronto goal at home this season.

Saturday's game was played in difficult conditions with 35 km/h winds gusting up to 46 km/h before an announced crowd of 22,699. The two teams managed just one shot on target apiece in the first 45 minutes when New York had the wind at its back.

Toronto was unable to manufacture a goal, with or without the wind, with that first-half shot the only one of 12 shots on target.

At the other end, Sean Johnson made some big saves once again with NYCFC managing nine shots (four on target).

"We're still trying to fine-tune our attack to turn decent opportunities into real scoring chances," said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. "I think that's where we are in the process of this build. We started off by really focusing on making ourselves difficult to play against and certainly in the last four games prior to today, even today, we saw that. It's not like we were giving up a lot of chances."

It didn't help that Norwegian forward Ola Brynhildsen, who has been struggling with injuries, was a late scratch. 

Toronto, which ended a season-opening eight-game winless streak at Real Salt Lake last Saturday, saw its four-game unbeaten run (1-0-3) snapped. And the search for a first home win continues.

NYCFC (4-4-2) bounced back from a 2-0 loss at New England last time out. The New Yorkers had just one win in their previous five games (1-3-1) and were winless in their first five road games (0-3-2) of the season.

Toronto defender Kosi Thompson saved a goal with a goal-line headed clearance in the 54th minute off a Hannes Wolf shot that had Johnson beaten.

Toronto attacker Federico Bernardeschi appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty after going down in the 60th minute. Replays suggested the Italian had run into the defender rather than the other way around.

Two minutes later, referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere pointed to the penalty spot at the other end after Martínez went down between Kevin Long and Thompson. Toronto captain Jonathan Osorio pleaded with Lauziere but video review backed up the referee's call.

Martinez, a Costa Rican international, converted the penalty himself for his sixth goal of the season. The Toronto defence had been cut open by a Wolf pass on the play that led to the penalty.

Fraser did not offer an opinion on the penalty call, saying he needed to have another look, but noted "from where we were, we shouldn't have put ourselves in that position." 

Toronto's Maxime Dominguez, also said he needed to watch the play again.

"But I spoke with the players and I think it was a bad decision. So this hurts," said the Swiss-born midfielder.

Toronto, which fell to 0-2-2 at BMO Field this season, has not won at home since Sept. 14.

That needs to change with seven of Toronto's next eight games in all competitions — and nine of the next 11 — at home.

In addition to Kerr and Brynhildsen, Toronto was missing injured defenders Richie Laryea, Zane Monlouis, Nicksoen Gomis and Henry Wingo and winger Derrick Etienne Jr.

Midfielder Charlie Sharp and Dominguez made their first starts for Toronto, replacing Etienne and Lorenzo Insigne.

With Saturday's game the first of three in a week, Insigne started on the bench. The 33-year-old Italian, who had started the five previous games after not dressing for the first four, came on in the 67th minute.

Both additions performed well with Dominguez showing playmaking skills and Sharp getting some up front in the first half. 

There was no repeat of the bad blood the last time TFC and NYCFC met, a 3-2 Toronto win at BMO Field in May 2024 when the teams clashed after the final whistle. The post-game melee prompted a string of suspensions and a war of words.

TFC is winless in its last five regular-season games (0-4-1) with NYCFC and had won just two of the last 11 meetings (2-6-3). Toronto fell to 6-10-7 all-time against the New Yorkers.

Up next, Toronto hosts CF Montreal in the preliminary round of the Telus Canadian Championship. New York hosts FC Cincinnati on Sunday.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025