English Talent (Apple TV): Steve Cangialosi and Danny Higginbotham
Spanish Talent (Apple TV): Bruno Vain and Andres Agulla
Toronto FC (0-0-0, 0 pts) open their 2024 Major League Soccer campaign – the club’s 18th and the League’s 29th – with a visit to face FC Cincinnati, winners of the 2023 Supporters’ Shield, at TQL Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The ‘MLS is Back’ opening weekend contest kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET with coverage on TSN3 in Canada and for free in English and Spanish on MLS Season Pass.
Behind Enemy Lines
Toronto FC open the MLS season on the road for the sixth consecutive year in search of the club’s first season-opening win since a 3-1 road win at Philadelphia Union on March 2, 2019. The Reds have travelled to open the regular season on 16 out of 17 occasions since the club began play in 2007, only hosting the season opener once against the Columbus Crew at BMO Field on March 3, 2018. Toronto FC holds a 5-9-3 all-time record through its 17 season-opening matches.
The Reds are playing a match in February for the third consecutive season and for only the fourth time in club history. TFC are looking for their first win in the month and hold a 0-1-2 all-time record during the month of February.
An Ode to the Past
TFC meet 2019 MLS expansion club FC Cincinnati for the 11th encounter in the all-time series between the two sides. Toronto FC are 4-6-0 through its first ten meetings with the Orange and Blue. In its first visit to Cincinnati, the Reds recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory at Nippert Stadium on September 7, 2019 with five different goalscorers – Patrick Mullins, Nick DeLeon, Mark Delgado, Michael Bradley and Nicolas Benezet – getting on the scoresheet. The Reds will be looking for redemption following its last visit to Cincinnati, where FC Cincinnati ran out 3-0 winners at TQL Stadium on June 21, 2023.
New Beginnings
Head Coach John Herdman enters his first season coaching at the club level after he was announced as the Reds’ new gaffer on August 28, 2023. Prior to TFC, he enjoyed successful reigns with the New Zealand (2006-2011) and Canada (2011-2018) Women’s National Teams and the Canadian Men’s National Team (2018-2023).At the international level, Herdman coached in one FIFA World Cup, two Concacaf Gold Cups, two Concacaf Nations League, three FIFA Women’s World Cups, three Summer Olympic Games, two FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups and one Pan American Games.
The Englishman will be looking to record his first TFC & MLS victory as Head Coach against an FC Cincinnati side led by Head Coach Pat Noonan this Sunday.
Hometown Hero
Midfielder Jonathan Osorio enters his twelfth season with the Reds and was recently announced as the eighth captain in club history on January 23, 2024. The Brampton, Ontario native features prominently in the club’s all-time record charts, leading the club in appearances (341), while being the club’s third-highest goal-scorer (62) behind Sebastian Giovinco (83) and Jozy Altidore (79) and recording the second-most assists in club history (50) behind Sebastian Giovinco (57).
Century Loading
Goalkeeper Sean Johnson enters his 15th Major League Soccer season, after spending seven years with the Chicago Fire (2010 – 2016) and six with New York City FC (2017 – 2022). Going into the new campaign, the 2021 MLS Cup champion and MLS Cup MVP award winner sits fourth in a number of all-time MLS goalkeeper record categories including MLS games played (390), minutes played in goal (35,166), goalkeeper wins (150) and shutouts (99) behind goalkeepers Nick Rimando, Kevin Hartman and Stefan Frei. The Lilburn, Georgia native’s next shutout will be his 100th career clean sheet, since making his debut for the Chicago Fire on August 1, 2010.
Debut Watch
Toronto FC’s busy off-season included seven players putting pen to paper with the Reds this winter. New additions – defenders Kevin Long and Nicksoen Gomis along with midfielder Deybi Flores could all potentially make their club debut in Sunday’s season opener in Ohio.
Once a Red
FC Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund is a name and face familiar to Toronto FC and the Reds’ faithful. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was selected 10th overall by Toronto FC in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and made 115 appearances across five seasons (2014 – 2018) for the Reds, helping the club become the first in MLS history to win the domestic treble with the MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield and Canadian Championship in 2017. The centre-back, however, underwent surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon on November 7, 2023 and will not line up for the Orange and Blue on Sunday.
A Look AheadÂ
Following Sunday’s encounter, Toronto FC will hit the road again to square off against the New England Revolution on Sunday, March 3. Kick-off at Gillette Stadium is set for 2:00 p.m. ET with coverage on MLS Season Pass in English and Spanish next Sunday.