Toronto FC's rebuilt roster, still a work in progress, showed it is headed in the right direction with a 1-0 win over FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer play Sunday.
Daniel Salloi opened his Toronto scoring account in the 86th minute to give TFC the win. The play started with an errant throw by Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano that went to Richie Laryea. The Toronto fullback surged forward and fed Salloi, whose low right-footed shot beat Celentano, who had had a fine game before that.
"(Laryea) played an unbelievable ball," said Salloi, a Hungarian international who spent the last 10 seasons with Sporting Kansas City before joining TFC in a February trade. "I love making that run off the wing, and he played it perfect. I took a good touch and finished it really good. I'm proud of that one."
It marked Toronto's first-ever goal and win at TQL Stadium, which opened in 2021. Cincinnati had outscored Toronto 9-0 in five previous meetings (4-0-1) there.
After conceding, Cincinnati came on strong, but Toronto, which had lost its first two outings of the season on the road, held on for the win.
"It's a performance to be proud of, but certainly we know that we have things that we have to continue to work on and get better at," said Toronto coach Robin Fraser.
While Cincinnati (1-2-0) outshot Toronto 15-10, it managed just two shots on target compared to seven for TFC.
Toronto (1-2-0) had a bright start, pushing Cincinnati for much of a scoreless first half with playmaker Djordje Mihailovic pulling the strings. The home side showed better in the second half, but failed to take advantage.
Sunday's game followed road losses in Dallas (3-2) and Vancouver (3-0) for Toronto. The six goals conceded in those games came on just eight shots on target.
TFC plays the next nine games at BMO Field starting with next Saturday's home opener against the New York Red Bulls, coached by former Toronto captain Michael Bradley.
Cincinnati opened with a 2-0 victory over visiting Atlanta before losing 1-0 at Minnesota United. Cincinnati (20-9-5) finished 33 points ahead of Toronto (6-14-14) last season.
Toronto pushed from the start, earning corners and free kicks by pressing Cincinnati in its own end. In the 16th minute, Emilio Aristizábal just missed getting a foot to a well-flighted Mihailovic cross.
Celentano stopped Emilio in the 29th minute with Mihailovic sending a shot from the ensuing clearance just wide. At the other end, Toronto defender Raheem Edwards' sliding tackle prevented Tom Barlow from shooting from a good position.
Cincinnati came on as the first half wore on. But the home side needed two big stops from Celentano on Emilio and Laryea in first-half stoppage time.
Toronto 'keeper Luka Gavran made a spectacular acrobatic save to deny a curling shot by Pavel Bucha in the 67th minute.
Two minutes later, Toronto defender Walker Zimmerman had to leave the game. The veteran defender, who missed time last season with a concussion while with Nashville SC, had knocked heads with Cincinnati forward Kevin Denkey earlier in the half.
Fraser said Zimmerman had felt some "adverse effects" but was feeling better after the game.
Brazilian star playmaker Evander, who had been sidelined since exiting the season opener after just 13 minutes with a hamstring injury, came off the Cincinnati bench in the 74th minute. He had a chance in stoppage time but sent his free kick from just outside the penalty box over the bar.
Celentano was forced into action in the 84th minute, parrying a Deandre Kerr shot.
TFC has brought in new faces since in goalkeeper William Yarbrough, defenders Edwards, Benjamín Kuscevic, Zimmerman and Matheus Pereira and forwards Emilio, Salloi and Josh Sargent.
Kuscevic, a Chilean international centre back, made his debut Sunday but there was no place for newly signed designated player Josh Sargent. The U.S. international, whose transfer feel could reach US$27 million, last played for England's Norwich City on Jan. 4 in a 2-0 loss to Stoke City.
Emilio, a Colombian youth international, made his first start after seeing 20 minutes action off the bench in the first two games. Edwards and fellow defender Zane Monlouis also slotted into the starting 11.
Toronto was without injured goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario, defenders Pereira, Nicksoen Gomis, and Henry Wingo and forward Theo Corbeanu. Cincinnati was missing forward Kristian Fletcher and veteran defender Matt Miazga, who continued his return from injury Sunday by seeing action with Cincinnati's second team.
TFC came into Sunday's match with a 4-9-1 regular-season record against Cincinnati and was looking for its first road win against Cincinnati since October 2020.
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