MLS Regular Season | Match #16
Toronto FC at Philadelphia Union
Wednesday, May 29 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Subaru Park | Chester, Pennsylvania
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
English (Apple TV): Neil Sika (Play-by-Play) and Lori Lindsey (Analyst)
Spanish (Apple TV): Diego Pessolano (Play-by-Play) and Daniel Chapela (Analyst)
Toronto FC (7-7-1, 22 pts) visit Philadelphia Union (4-4-6, 18 pts) at Subaru Park for their 16th match of the 2024 MLS regular season on Wednesday evening. The Matchday 17 encounter kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
With seven victories in the club’s last 10 matches across all competitions, the Reds, currently sixth in the Eastern Conference, enter the midweek matchup eager to return to winning ways after dropping a 3-4 home result against FC Cincinnati on Saturday. TFC hold a 13W-11L-7T record through their first 31 regular season meetings with the Union across 14 MLS seasons.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Toronto FC’s 2024 Major League Soccer campaign continues with their eighth road match of the MLS regular season and the first of two regular season meetings with Philadelphia Union on Wednesday evening. Following their first seven away MLS games in 2024, the Reds hold a 52W-160L-69T all-time record (225 points) in MLS regular season matches played on the road.
AN ODE TO THE PAST
Toronto FC visit 2020 Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union for the 32nd encounter in the all-time series between the two clubs. Historically, TFC hold a 13W-11L-7T record through their first 31 regular season meetings with the Union. The two clubs have previously faced off in Philadelphia on 15 separate occasions, with the Reds holding a 4W-8L-3T record at Subaru Park (formerly Talen Energy Stadium and PPL Park) to date. TFC will be looking for their first road victory against the Union since recording a 1-3 victory, courtesy of a Michael Bradley brace and a Nick DeLeon goal, at Talen Energy Stadium on March 2, 2019. Most recently, goals from Lorenzo Insigne, Deandre Kerr and Jonathan Osorio spurred the Reds on to a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia Union at BMO Field on August 30, 2023.
THE CLIMB CONTINUES
Toronto FC enter Wednesday’s match eager to return to winning ways after dropping a 3-4 result to the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners FC Cincinnati at BMO Field in Matchday 16. The Saturday night affair had it all for the neutral including 26 attempted shots, seven yellow cards issued, seven goals scored including an own goal and a penalty, three equalizers, two lead changes, two disallowed goals and a late stoppage time winner on the lake shore in Toronto. Deybi Flores opened the scoring for the Reds in the first half with his first goal for the club, before a quick-fire double from Luca Orellano and Kevin Kelsy gave the visitors their first lead. Toronto equalized through an Ian Murphy own goal before Orellano scored his second of the night. Lorenzo Insigne tied it up at 3-3 from the penalty spot before a Sergio Santos winner in stoppage time sealed the three points for the visitors and extended the Orange and Blue’s winning streak to seven MLS matches. Following the weekend’s result, Toronto FC have scored 16 goals in their last three matches at BMO Field and have won seven of their last 10 matches across all competitions since April 20.
TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY
Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne was named to the Major League Soccer Team of the Matchday 16, as a starter, following his electric, all-action performance in Saturday’s seven-goal thriller. ‘Il Magnifico’ was at the heart of everything positive against the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners, playing a key role in all three TFC goals on the night. The Italian attacker’s out-swinging corner set up Deybi Flores’ header in the first half, before a low cross from Toronto’s No. 24 forced an own goal in the 63rd minute. He then stepped up from 12 yards to score an emphatic game-tying penalty in the 85th minute. Late on, Insigne also unleashed a ferocious 30-yard strike that clattered the woodwork in the 89th minute before seeing his left-footed volleyed strike disallowed for a marginal offside in the 96th minute. With a goal and an assist against the Orange and Blue, Insigne registered two goal contributions for the second successive MLS match, after registering a pair of assists against CF Montréal on May 18. In total, Toronto FC have now earned 15 MLS Team of the Matchday honours during the 2024 MLS regular season – Federico Bernardeschi (4), Sean Johnson (3), Lorenzo Insigne (3), Deybi Flores (2), Kevin Long (1), Prince Owusu (1) and Tyrese Spicer (1).
400 AND COUNTING
TFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson made his 400th Major League Soccer appearance against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, including regular season (385) and playoff (15) matches, split between Chicago Fire (2010 – 2016), New York City FC (2017 – 2022) and Toronto FC (2023 – present). The Lilburn, Georgia native became the second active MLS goalkeeper to reach the milestone (Stefan Frei – 420 matches) and the fourth all-time MLS goalkeeper to accomplish the feat (Nick Rimando, Kevin Hartman and Stefan Frei).
