Josh Sargent in good place after sluggish start with Toronto FC

It took a little bit of time, but Josh Sargent finally finds himself in a good place.

Sargent opened his MLS goal scoring account by netting the winner in Toronto FC’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at BMO Field.

The American forward decided the game in TFC’s favour when he scored via a header in the 85th minute off a corner kick after earning his first MLS assist on Richie Laryea’s opening goal for Toronto earlier in the second half.

Sargent’s man-of-the-match performance, highlighted by his two goal contributions, came after he failed to score or collect an assist through his first two appearances for the club last month.

The native of Missouri, who has 29 caps for the U.S. national team, could hardly wipe the smile off his face when speaking to reporters after the game.

“Big relief. It’s been a while since I’ve scored. After I missed that first [scoring chance] in the first half, I was pretty frustrated. So, I would’ve been upset if I didn’t get a goal by the end of the game,” Sargent said. “Just very happy. Very happy that the fans have been so good and have been so supportive since I’ve gotten here. Great to get a goal and hopefully more to come.”

Before coming to Toronto, Sargent’s last appearance in a competitive match was for his former club Norwich City in early January.

He parted company with the English team on poor terms after putting in a transfer request, so Saturday’s stellar display was just what the doctor ordered for the American forward.

It also allowed Toronto (3-2-1) to register back-to-back wins in MLS for the first time since the 2024 season while also extending its current unbeaten streak to four games.

“I would say I feel very good now. I think these types of things take time for sure. And as I’m sure all of you have seen, I’ve been through a lot the last couple months. So, I’d like to say that I’m in a good place for sure,” Sargent offered. “Very happy. My family has been very happy since they’ve gotten here. And again, we’re all very grateful for how well everyone has treated us since we’ve gotten here.

“I think getting to know guys on and off the field takes some time, but I’m very happy with where we’re at right now. I feel very good with everybody and have good relationships so far. So, I just want to keep building on that and improve those relationships even more.”

Coach Robin Fraser was full of praise for Sargent, who he felt had an overall strong game, aside from scoring his first goal and recording an assist.

“I think Josh is good at everything that you need a forward to be good at. And we see bits and pieces of it every time we’ve seen him play and then we see more of it when we see more minutes,” said Fraser. “Obviously, his holdup play is excellent. He’s very tidy in tight spaces, but he also has really good timing as to when to get forward and decisions about how he can get himself in front of the goal.

“And then, obviously, the heading ability … If he gets opportunities, he’s extremely dangerous there. So, I feel like Josh is getting or settling in quite well and getting quite comfortable with his teammates and that sort of thing and the league. And I think we’ve only scratched the surface of what we’re going to see.”

Elsewhere in MLS this past weekend:

• Never count out the Vancouver Whitecaps – ever.

Down 2-1 against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, the Whitecaps looked destined to suffer their second loss of the campaign before their hometown fans before being given a late lifeline in the form of a penalty decision in the 90th minute. Thomas Müller converted from the spot to draw Vancouver level and Sebastian Berhalter scored deep into injury time to lift the home side to a remarkable come-from-behind win.

The Whitecaps (5-1-0) are undoubtedly one of the best teams in MLS this season, picking up where they left off last year when they reached the MLS Cup final for the first time in franchise history.

• At the other end of the spectrum is CF Montreal (1-5-0), who sits in a tie for second-last place in the overall MLS table after suffering a humbling 3-0 road loss to the New England Revolution on Saturday. Montreal also has the second-worst defensive record in the league with 17 goals against.

Coach Marco Donadel might be worried about his job security after the club is off to one of its worst starts to a season, the lone caveat being that they have yet to play at home. This weekend’s home opener vs. the winless Philadephia Union gives Donadel a chance to get his team back on track and earn a much-needed win, while another loss might seal his fate.