Toronto FC vs. D.C. United: Preview, time, and how to watch
D.C. United will look to overcome last weekend’s disappointing 4-3 loss to Dallas as they head north to face Toronto FC.
The 2024 MLS regular season is racing toward its conclusion, and to keep playoff hopes alive, the Black-and-Red need to win in Toronto tonight. While D.C. has been returning to good form, the team is truly in crunch time. There simply isn’t any leeway left to come up short this late in the season.
With Toronto’s leading goal scorer, Federico Bernardeschi, serving a disciplinary suspension for yellow card accumulation, the door may be open for D.C. United to nab three critical points on the road. Jonathan Osorio will join Bernardeschi, sitting out tonight’s match as he, too, serves a disciplinary suspension.
Jon Herdman’s men sit in the middle of the table, failing to “wow” this season. Despite star power on the roster, the Reds have only bagged four goals in their last five games. Defensively, Toronto has also experienced its fair share of struggles this season. All in all, tonight is a golden opportunity for the Black-and-Red to come away with three very needed points.
Hear everything head coach Troy Lesesne had to say in the pre-game press conference here.
Let us know your thoughts about tonight’s match in the comments below, and be sure to join us live here during the game to chat with your fellow supporters.
Key Player: Christian Benteke and Jared Stroud
Benteke continues to chase down the Golden Boot, and has been in fine form. The veteran striker contributed to last weekend’s close match against Dallas, opening the scoring in the 2′. Jared Stroud has also been stepping up for the Black-and-Red, featuring in several recent matches. He joined Benteke on the scoreboard last weekend.
Watch Out For: Prince Owusu and Lorenzo Insigne
After Bernardeschi, Owusu leads Toronto in goals this season, with seven to his record. Should Insigne feature in the match (he is questionable due to injury), he could cause D.C. a world of hurt. The Italian is a notably creative goal-scorer and a danger on the wing.
Challenges: D.C. United is out of time to make adjustments. If they want to keep hopes of a playoff berth alive, the Black-and-Red will have to claw their way out of the Eastern Conference basement with a winning streak.
Previously: When they last met in June, D.C. United and Toronto drew 2-2 at Audi Field.
Toronto FC Availability:
Out: Alonso Coello (thigh)
Disciplinary: Federico Bernardeschi, Jonathan Osorio
Questionable: Lorenzo Insigne (thigh)
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Matai Akinmboni (ankle), Conner Antley (knee), Russell Canouse (not due to injury), Jackson Hopkins (ankle), David Schnegg (leg)
Disciplinary: Boris Enow
Questionable: Jacob Murrell (leg)
Location: BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Marcos Deoliveira
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
I think if we win this one, it’s going to be because we outscore Toronto in a wild one. Thankfully, DC-Toronto games are almost always wild, strange affairs. It should be entertaining if nothing else.
I don’t think I’ve seen a 2-5-3 formation played before.
We’ll catch them by surprise, they probably don’t have any drone footage of this one.
My will power to watch a slaughter may be limited tonight. Not that DC should be thrashed at full strength, but positionally, we all know what’s up.
Oh, we have Peltola and Herrera, I thought they’d be gone tonight. So… hope??
They’re gone next week.
Man, wtf, Apple? I can’t make the game full screen anymore on my laptop? Que pass, evil streaming site?
Bono with a banger of a save against Insigne 30 minutes in
Rodriguez in for McVey and Peltola slides back to CB to start the 2nd half. Also you can definitely tell Schnegg is not at LB.
Rodriguez about a foot away from a brilliant finish there from distance
We’re a match for Toronto- in that neither one of us is likely doing much come the playoffs
USA Eagles (Men’s 15s Rugby) starting their 2027 Rugby World Cup qualification tonight facing Canada in LA tonight at the Stub Hub Center. The game is starting now on Peacock.
Rodriguez finishes off maybe the most brilliantly executed intricate set piece I’ve ever seen, at least from DC United
Love seeing it!
Hope Herrera is alright, would suck to have him get a knock from a dead offside play
Ted fucks up a brilliant through ball by Benteke to get him to the end line. Dude
Benteke comes off for Badji, who could have had a second if he wasn’t hanging out offside
Ted also taken out for Pirani
Well, it’s not fair. DC needs a hugely impressive set piece execution to get a goal, Toronto needs a simple header off a simple cross. Fuck.
1-1 At this point
Well, Kerr looks like quality off the bench. I remember those days when we had something off the bench. Good times
I say that right befor Badji maybe wins it for us
And Pirani makes my comment sour seconds off the shelf
Has there ever been a more annoying gnat than Lareaya?
8 minutes of stoppage when we had 0 in the first half is weird
Will wonders ever cease? Pirani makes it 3
Am I celebrating, or am I stunned?
Just wild circumstances, but maybe it leads to a run
USA up 13-8 on Canada with 4 mins to go in the 1st half.
US goes into half up 18-8. Penalty goal by Canada, Penalty goal by the US, then 2 uncoverted tries by the US, then Canada pulled a try back but also failed to convert. Then 3 mins before half a gorgeous little play by the US sees another try scored, but the conversion was again missed.
USA wins 28-15. Step #1 on the way to Rugby World Cup 2027 done. Onto Japan next week in Japan.
I feel sorry for them because the weather in Osaka, Japan right now is absolutely miserable.
What a match! First, I love that we got 3 goals from players who’s first name wasn’t Christian.
Second, I love how we closed out the match. Particularly how we could have collapsed after allowing TFC to tie it up. And instead, the team fought back.
Also, Lesesne told the Apple Crew that Rodriguez is important to the team now and in the long term. I read that as Rodriguez will be coming back and he’ll be the A-mid for next year. That will make things interesting in terms of Klich given that Canouse is getting healthier, we signed Enow, and Peltola can play D-mid (maybe his best position).
This DC United squad never gives up. Despite the shambolic defending in the 3-4 loss to Dallas, we were fighting hard for the equalizer to the last second.
Then tonight we could have hung our heads after being tied 1-1 in the 82nd minute. Instead, we dug deep and score
D two more for 3-1.
That’s three wins out of the last four MLS matches. Hope springs eternal.
Yeah, apart from that one Orlando game and maybe one or two others, this team doesn’t give up, and I also have lots of confidence in their ability to score. They just tend not to have the mentality (or skill) to close out an opponent, which nearly came true tonight. But there’s lots to like about this team, and hopefully the positives stay through next year (or are enhanced!) and the areas to improve get ironed out. It’s the first year of a new regime, and they had quite a rebuild project on their hands. They’ve exceeded my expectations so far.
There’s not lots to like about this team, but there are a few players who might still be part of the core after a large rebuild (defenders like Enow, Peltola, Herrera, Schnegg, and maybe a CB or 2), and a couple more like Benteke (maybe Klich) who will be crucial next year, but not part of a long-term plan. Attacking pieces are underwhelming. Rodriguez and TKDP (and perhaps Pirani) may be safe for a time, but they wouldn’t see the pitch with most teams in MLS.
Rodriguez is more of a CM for us, and is playing better than Klich, including a goal tonight.
The secondary offensive pieces are starting to find some form, but yeah, getting a real goal threat to couple with Benteke would help take this team to another level.
I didn’t watch the game but I think the stats were reported wrong. It says we only got one yellow card, how is that possible?
It’s right. Pirani picked up a yellow when he got in a spat with Lareya who also picked up a yellow. The free kick TFC had just won is what led to their tieing goal.
Dark magic.