TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
English (Apple TV): Blake Price (Play-by-Play) and Paul Dolan (Analyst)
Spanish (Apple TV): Adrian Garcia Marquez (Play-by-Play) and Francisco Pinto (Analyst)
Toronto FC (3-2-1, 10 pts) visit 2011 MLS expansion club Vancouver Whitecaps FC (3-1-1, 10 pts) for their seventh match of the 2024 MLS season on Saturday evening. The Matchday 8 encounter kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) and can be viewed on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
Toronto FC fell to their second defeat of the 2024 season last Saturday, when the visiting Sporting Kansas City recorded a 1-3 victory at BMO Field. With 10 points from the club’s opening six matches, TFC currently sit fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference standings and have the third-best points per game tally (1.67) across the conference. The Reds hold a 6W-7L-3T record through their first 17 meetings with Vancouver Whitecaps in regular season play.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Toronto FC’s 2024 MLS campaign continues with their fourth road match of the MLS regular season and their first fixture against a Canadian club this Saturday evening. Following a tie, win and loss each in their three opening away games, the Reds hold a 51W-157L-69T all-time record (222 points) in MLS regular season matches played on the road.
AN ODE TO THE PAST
Toronto FC visit 2011 MLS expansion club Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the 17th regular season encounter in the all-time series between the two clubs. TFC hold a 6W-7L-3T record through their first 16 meetings with the Caps in regular season play. The two Canadian rivals have previously faced off at BC Place on six different occasions, with the Reds outscoring the hosts with eight goals to seven through two wins, three losses and a tie at the multi-purpose stadium in British Columbia. TFC will be looking for their first road victory against the Whitecaps since recording a 2-0 win, courtesy of goals from VĂctor Vázquez and Jozy Altidore, at BC Place on March 18, 2017.
THE CLIMB CONTINUES
Toronto FC fell to their second defeat of the season last Saturday, when the visiting Sporting Kansas City scored three second-half goals to secure a 1-3 victory and three points at BMO Field. Late into stoppage time, Jonathan Osorio pulled one back for the Reds when he slotted home from a whipped cross from Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty. The consolation goal, Osorio’s first of the season and Marshall-Rutty’s first assist of the 2024 MLS campaign, extended the Reds’ scoring streak at BMO Field in 2024 to three.
TWELVE IN A ROW
The 97th minute goal marked Jonathan Osorio’s first goal as club captain and the Toronto, Ontario native has now scored in each of his twelve MLS regular seasons with Toronto FC (2013 – 2024), extending an all-time club record. He becomes only the fifth Canadian-born player to do so, joining Teal Bunbury (14), Dwayne De Rosario (14), Andy Williams (13) and Will Johnson (12).
FIFTY NOT OUT
Kosi Thompson has currently 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 Toronto, Ontario native signed with Toronto FC on February 25, 2022, and became the 29th player in club history to sign for the First Team from the Toronto FC Academy. He made his debut for the Reds against Columbus Crew on March 12, 2022, and scored his first goal for the club against Real Salt Lake on April 9, 2022.
Last Saturday against Sporting Kansas City, defender Shane O’Neill made his 50th appearance for Toronto FC across all competitions, becoming the seventh current TFC player (Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Ayo Akinola, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, Deandre Kerr and Federico Bernardeschi) to reach the milestone. Italian Federico Bernardeschi also made his 50th MLS appearance for TFC the same night.
ONCE A RED
A quartet of 2024 MLS off-season signings from the two rosters have played for both Canadian clubs over the years. Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea spent time on loan with the Whitecaps during the 2023 MLS season, where he registered one goal and three assists across 14 combined appearances for the Caps. TFC midfielder Deybi Flores also spent time on loan with the Caps (2015, 2016), making 16 appearances for the Blue and White across all competitions.
Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Joe Bendik spent three seasons (2013 – 2015) in Toronto, where he registered nine clean sheets and 20 wins through 77 combined appearances. Caps midfielder Ralph Priso originally joined the Toronto FC Academy in January 2017 and became the 25th player in club history to sign for Toronto FC from the TFC Academy upon joining on October 14, 2020. The Canadian Homegrown midfielder made 33 combined appearances and scored two goals through three seasons (2020 – 2022) for the Reds. Whitecaps defender Ryan Raposo also spent two years (2010, 2011) with the Toronto FC Academy previously.
