Three Takeaways: The Toronto FC Defence Has Been an Issue

Third-Straight Game of Giving up More Than Two Goals

After such a positive start defensively, TFC had trouble keeping the ball out of the net. This was made apparent in Charlotte’s second goal, when Liel Abada took advantage of a bad TFC pass in their end of the field. This resulted in Abada scoring Charlotte’s second goal. This goal also concerned TFC head coach, John Herdman (Source: The Canadian Press):

“We can’t afford to give up goals like that,” said Herdman. “We had that conversation in the (post-game) huddle. There were so many things that I liked about the performance.”

Substitutions Worked Well for Charlotte FC

“That stuff is just criminal. … How on earth did we not have a player go and press (Dejaegere)?” mused Herdman.

Then, when Charlotte was winning, they substituted Abada out of the game and brought in a defensive midfielder in Júnior Urso. Urso was able to help close the game for the Crown and Charlotte secured the 3-2 victory.

Toronto FC Had Some Chances to Score

TFC, like Charlotte, had five shots on goal and 11 shots overall. There were some good moments from Toronto FC, as some of these chances included:

• Bernardeschi getting close to the goal, but unable to put the ball into the back of the net.
• Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty had a clear header near the goal, but his header was off-target.

Bernardeschi was really doing an excellent job of creating scoring chances for Toronto, but felt like TFC did not give him enough help to get scoring opportunities, especially in the first half.

Other Factors – Toronto FC Prince Owusu Had a Game to Remember

Owusu, the German forward for TFC, had himself a great game. In his two goals, Owusu put himself in the right positions to score. That is hard to do, and not everyone has that skill. The closest comparison to that might be Adriana Leon for the Canadian women’s soccer team. Herdman also noticed Owusu’s big game (source: The Canadian Press):

“A real big step for him.”

It also helped that Bernardeschi created scoring opportunities. This played a big role in Owusu scoring two goals for the club. The second goal in particular was a beautiful goal as it also involved other TFC players like Marshall-Rutty.

This sentiment can be shared with Owusu, who even though was disappointed with the result, also acknowledged that TFC never gave up in the game (source: James Grossi of Toronto FC):

“I came from the bench and tried my best to help the team. We played a good game. Away at Charlotte, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. We knew it would be a tough game,” he continued. “How we responded, getting those two goals, tells a lot about the team, we don’t give up.”

What might be disappointing though is Kevin Long getting a red card late in the game. Long’s first yellow card, where he complained to the referee on a call, hurt him when he got his second yellow card late in the game. As a result, Long will not be in next weekend’s game against the New England Revolution.

Games Coming up for Both Teams

For TFC, they have two games coming up in quick succession, both taking place at BMO Field. The first, against the New England Revolution, takes place on April 20, 2024 at 7:30pm ET. They then start their Canadian Championship campaign against the Simcoe County Rovers on April 23, 2024, with a time yet to be announced.

As for Charlotte FC, they continue their home-stand against Minnesota United FC on April 21, 2024 at 6;00pm ET at the Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte has not been great as of late, but maybe this win will help them and their confidence as they have played well at home recently.

Both MLS games for TFC and Charlotte will be shown live on Apple TV. As for the TFC Canadian Championship game, that can be watched live on OneSoccer, as well as Telus and FuboTV Inc.