MLS notebook: Injury-ravaged TFC facing issues after solid start

Despite a decent start to the MLS season, Toronto FC finds itself in a bit of a predicament.

TFC (3-3-4) saw its seven-match unbeaten run snapped in a 2-1 home loss to Atlanta United on Saturday at BMO Field in a game that highlighted some major issues for coach Robin Fraser’s side. 

Toronto has gotten into a bad habit of falling behind, trailing in seven of its opening 10 games this season. The Reds rescued a point from a losing position in two consecutive matches (and four times in their previous five outings) prior to this last weekend.  

But there was no comeback against Atlanta. A poor start to the game laid the foundation of TFC’s third loss of the year as the visitors jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of second-half goals. 

Simply put, Toronto can’t continue to dig a hole for itself and expect to climb out of it. If TFC harbours any hope of ending its five-year playoff drought, it must start on the front foot from the opening kickoff and play from a position of advantage. 

“Because this group never quits, you almost start to expect that we’re going to come back and tie it,” Fraser said. “(But) this is a game that’s not always going to go your way. … The mentality we showed towards the end was excellent. But we need to see that from the beginning.”  

Another major cause for concern is the number of goals Toronto is leaking. TFC conceded eight times over the last three games, coughed up three goals in a match on four separate occasions, and has just one clean sheet through 10 contests.

Last year, Toronto boasted one of the best defensive records in the Eastern Conference with an average of 1.29 goals against per game. That average has ballooned to 1.9 per game in 2026. The 19 goals TFC has conceded already this year represents 43 per cent of the 44 goals it coughed up all of last season. 

“Obviously, there are going to be ebbs and flows and we have to be comfortable in the moments (in games) that we can’t get to the things that we normally can. And in those moments, we have to stay together and just make sure that teams don’t get between us and behind us. This is all part of the maturation process of this team, meaning we have some very mature players, but as a team, we’re relatively new,” Fraser said.  

Compounding the Reds’ woes is their injury situation, which is now beyond ridiculous.

Unavailable for Saturday’s match were winger Theo Corbeanu; defenders Nicksoen Gomis and Henry Wingo; fullbacks Matheus Pereira and Richie Laryea; DP midfielder Djordje Mihailovic; and forward Deandre Kerr. Corbeanu and Gomis have yet to make a single appearance this season, while Wingo has been limited to a 13-minute cameo off the bench in the club’s season opener in February. 

Toronto’s player numbers were so low for Saturday’s match that defenders Reid Fisher and Jackson Gilman along with midfielder Antone Bossenberry were signed from TFC 2, its reserve team, to short-term contracts.   

On top of all of that, centre back Benjamin Kuscevic and midfielder José Cifuentes had to be subbed off in the first half Saturday due to injuries. Kuscevic (groin) limped off after only 20 minutes while Cifuentes followed 10 minutes later due to a knee issue.  

Little wonder the Reds looked so disjointed for long stretches against Atlanta. 

“The building of the relationships, the rhythm and that sort of thing gets disrupted and it has nothing to do with the player who’s coming in because I do like all of our players and I think these are good players coming in when guys get hurt,” Fraser offered.  

“But I do think that the relationships and the chemistry is just a little bit off and takes time. So, when we have to keep chopping and changing, then it becomes difficult to maintain a rhythm.”  

TFC’s mounting injury crisis will test Fraser’s managerial acumen in the coming weeks as the long-term injuries to Mihailovic (the club’s top playmaker) and Laryea (its best player this season) robs him of two of his most important contributors.  

While other players will have to step up, Fraser has to find a way to navigate a difficult stretch of games, which includes a visit to BMO Field by Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, in which his options will be limited and will more than likely have to play some players out of position.  

• The Vancouver Whitecaps keep rolling. A fourth straight win was secured by Vancouver in a convincing 3-1 home decision over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, allowing the team to push its record to 8-1-0. A sold-out crowd of 27,589 at BC Place watched the Whitecaps in the finale of their five-game homestand. Vancouver has only played one match away from home this season but is about to embark on an eight-match road swing from May 2 to July 25. 

• CF Montreal (3-6-0) is showing signs of life. After a terrible start to the season (six losses in seven games), Montreal has won two in a row, including a 1-0 victory over New York City FC on Saturday at Stade Saputo courtesy of Prince Owusu’s team-leading sixth goal. Montreal has two wins from two games under interim coach Philippe Eullaffroy following the firing of Italian manager Marco Donadel. 

• Jayden Nelson boosted his chances of making Canada’s World Cup squad with a peach of a goal in Austin FC’s 2-0 home win over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday. The 23-year-old winger opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a slick effort, curling a right-footed shot off the far post after cutting inside of a Houston defender inside the box. The goal was Nelson’s second in eight appearances for Austin since joining the team in an off-season trade from Vancouver.