Nashville SC holds on to edge Toronto FC at BMO Field

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TORONTO — English forward Sam Surridge scored twice in the second half and Nashville SC held on for a 2-1 win over Toronto FC in MLS play Saturday, extending its unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions (6-0-2).

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Two goals, one from each side, in the dying minutes made for a frenzied finale before an announced crowd of 19,504 at BMO Field.

The first half, entertaining while short on scoring chances, saw both teams probe the opposition defence with Nashville having the only shot on target in the first 45 minutes.

The contest came alive in the second half.

Toronto’s first shot on target, in the 53rd minute, was a doozy. Lorenzo Insigne floated a cross into the Nashville penalty box that Norwegian striker Ola Byrnhildsen, contorting his body like a gymnast, turned into spectacular bicycle kick. Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis made the save, however.

Nashville (8-4-3) went one better in the 57th minute with Andy Najar sending a long ball to Hany Mukhtar behind the Toronto defence. The former MLS MVP deftly redirected the ball across the goal for Surridge to knock home for his seventh of the season.

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Mukhtar could have had two goals himself in the second half but was denied by Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

Toronto (3-8-4) did not fold, however, with Brynhildsen and Insigne both coming close around the 70-minute mark. And the home side kept coming. Substitute Tyrese Spicer came close with a blast in the 83rd minute.

It looked like Surridge had ended the drama in the 89th minute with an insurance goal as Toronto’s defence was cut open. But TFC captain Jonathan Osorio, returning from injury, scored one minute into stoppage time with a rocket of a shot from outside the penalty box to make things interesting.

It was Osorio’s 50th career goal, along with 53 assists.

Nashville entered weekend play in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, nine places and 11 points ahead of Toronto.

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Coming off a record 6-1 victory at CF Montreal, Toronto had won two of its previous three games (2-0-1). And after an 0-4-4 start to the season, Toronto had gone 3-3-0 in league play before Saturday.

Saturday’s game was the 600th regular-season outing for the franchise, which has compiled a (180-265-155) record since entering MLS in 2007. Eighty-five of those wins came between 2015 and 2020, when Toronto made the playoffs five out of the six seasons — its only post-season appearances to date.

Toronto reached the MLS Cup final in 2016, ’17 and ’19, hoisting the trophy in 2017 when it also won the Canadian Championship and Supporters’ Shield (for the best regular-season record).

TFC’s regular-season record is 33-83-35 since last making the playoffs in 2020.

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Much of Nashville’s success has come at home where it is 6-1-2. It came to Toronto with a 1-3-1 road record.

Toronto coach Robin Fraser made just one change to his starting lineup with Theo Corbeanu coming in for Tyrese Spicer.

Osorio came off the bench in the 63rd minute to cheers, his first appearance since suffering a partially dislocated shoulder early on in the Telus Canadian Championship penalty shootout loss to Montreal on April 30.

Toronto was without injured defenders Richie Laryea, Nicksoen Gomis, Raoul Petretta and Kobe Franklin, midfielder Markus Cimermancic and forward Deandre Kerr.

The injuries prompted a second career MLS start for 18-year-old Lazar Stefanović, a centre back pressed into action at left fullback where he was up against Shaffelburg.

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Defender Daniel Lovitz, another former Toronto player, started for Nashville.

The visitors were missing defenders Julian Gaines and Taylor Washington, midfielder Gaston Brugman and forwards Tyler Boyd and Maximus Ekk. U.S. international defender Walker Zimmerman, listed as questionable, started on the bench.

Nashville improved its career record against Toronto to 4-2-3 in regular-season play with a 2020 playoff win as well.

Nashville is unbeaten in its last five games with Toronto (3-0-2) dating back to a 4-3 loss in August 2022. Toronto’s last home win over Nashville was a 2-1 decision in September 2021.

It was Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Night at BMO Field with close to 300 Canadian Armed Forces members in attendance.

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