MLS Regular Season | Match #3
Toronto FC vs Charlotte FC
Saturday, March 9 | 2:00 p.m. ET
BMO Field | Toronto, Ontario
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TSN4
English (Apple TV): Eric Krakauer (Play-by-Play) & Jalil Anibaba (Analyst) | Gareth Wheeler (Local Feed)
Spanish (Apple TV): Moisés Linares (Play-by-Play) & Pablo Mariño (Analyst)
English (TSN): Luke Wileman & Steven Caldwell
Toronto FC (1-0-1, 4 points) host 2022 MLS expansion club Charlotte FC (1-0-1, 4 points) in their 2024 home opener at BMO Field this Saturday afternoon. The Matchday 4 contest kicks off at 2:00 p.m. ET and can be viewed on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app and on TSN4 in Canada.
Toronto FC continued their 2024 MLS campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win on the road against New England Revolution last Sunday. The result marked John Herdman’s first victory as Toronto FC Head Coach and saw TFC record consecutive clean sheets to begin an MLS campaign for the first time in club history. The Reds hold a 2W-1L-1T record through their first four meetings with The Crown.
No Place Like Home
Following two road matches to begin the new MLS campaign, Toronto FC host Charlotte FC in their 2024 home opener at BMO Field this Saturday afternoon. The Reds hold an 8W-6L-3T all-time record through their first 17 MLS openers at home and will be looking for their first home opener win since a 1-0 result against New York City FC on March 7, 2020. Historically, TFC have kept clean sheets in five of the club’s eight home opener victories, a feat John Herdman and the Reds will be eager to emulate this weekend.
An Ode To The Past
Toronto FC host 2022 MLS expansion club Charlotte FC for the fifth encounter in the all-time series between the two clubs. TFC hold a 2W-1L-1T record through their first four meetings with The Crown. TFC are unbeaten at home through two matches and have scored six goals en route to a win and a tie against Charlotte at BMO Field. The Reds recorded a 4-0 victory in the first-ever matchup between the two clubs on July 23, 2022 – a memorable result that marked the club debuts of Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi and featured goals from Jonathan Osorio, Michael Bradley (2) and Bernardeschi, all coming in the first half of action.
The Climb Continues
Toronto FC continued their 2024 MLS campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win on the road against New England Revolution last Sunday. The result marked John Herdman’s first victory as Toronto FC Head Coach and the Reds’ first road victory since a 2-0 win against Charlotte FC at the Bank of America Stadium on August 27, 2022. With the result, TFC also recorded consecutive clean sheets to begin an MLS campaign for the first time in club history.
Team & Goal Of The Matchday
Two Reds were named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for the second week running. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson was named as a starter and earned his second honour of the new season, while forward Lorenzo Insigne earned his first of the campaign named as a substitute. Johnson recorded a personal club-high six saves for the second straight MLS match, including an acrobatic save to deny Matt Polster and New England Revolution a late equalizer in the 93rd minute. Earlier in the match, Insigne’s curled game-winner opened the scoring for the Reds in 2024 and the spectacular effort was chosen as the AT&T Goal of the Matchday winner this week.
Toronto's Very Own
On March 9, 2013, a 20-year-old Jonathan Osorio made his Toronto FC and MLS debut when he came on as a substitute for Terry Dunfield against Sporting Kansas City. Exactly eleven years later, Jonathan Osorio will lead his hometown club as captain in front of the BMO Field faithful for the very first time. The Toronto, Ontario native features prominently in the club’s All-Time charts, leading the club in appearances (343), while being the club’s third-highest goal-scorer (62) and second-highest assister (50). Through his career with the Reds, the midfielder has made 299 MLS appearances (MLS Regular Season, MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS is Back) and his next appearance will be his 300th MLS appearance, becoming the first player in club history to reach the milestone.
Fifty Not Out
Federico Bernardeschi has made 49 appearances for Toronto FC and his next appearance will be his 50th for the Reds across all competitions (Major League Soccer, Canadian Championship and Leagues Cup). The Euro 2020 winner signed as a Designated Player on July 15, 2022 and made his club debut against Charlotte FC on July 23, 2022. In 2022, he became the first player in club history to score in each of his first five MLS home matches at BMO Field. The Italian winger has scored 13 goals and assisted a further seven during his time with the Reds.
Debut Watch
Three of Toronto FC’s offseason additions – defender Adam Pearlman, midfielders Matty Longstaff and Tyrese Spicer – could follow in the footsteps of Kevin Long, Deybi Flores and Nicksoen Gomis to potentially make their club debuts during Saturday’s Home Opener.
