Toronto FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 37 after a heroic performance in the club’s latest 1-1 draw against Inter Miami CF at BMO Field.
Returning to the lineup against the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners, Sean Johnson delivered a match-saving performance between the sticks at BMO Field, making five saves including four to deny reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP Lionel Messi, in front of 28,855 fans in attendance.
The Lilburn, Georgia native showed his sharpness early, springing to his left in the 12th minute to push away Baltasar Rodríguez’s strike from the top of the box and keep the visitors at bay.
Seventeen minutes later, the American shot-stopper produced another instinctive, outstretched stop – the first of four crucial saves to thwart FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi.
With the score level late in the second half, the MLS veteran, currently in his 16th season, capped his Man of the Match display with a spectacular diving save to his right, denying the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s free-kick to secure a point and extend the Reds’ unbeaten run to seven matches dating back to August 9.
The honour marks Sean Johnson’s team-leading fourth MLS Team of the Matchday selection of the 2025 season and his eighth overall since joining Toronto FC in January 2023. In total, Toronto FC have now earned 14 MLS Team of the Matchday selections during the 2025 MLS regular season – Sean Johnson (4), Federico Bernardeschi (2), Theo Corbeanu (2), Ola Brynhildsen (1), Alonso Coello (1), Lorenzo Insigne (1), Deandre Kerr (1), Richie Laryea (1) and Jonathan Osorio (1).
MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Matchday – Matchday 37:
F: Dor Turgeman (NE), Son Heung-Min (LAFC), Joseph Paintsil (LA)
M: Indiana Vassilev (PHI), Nectarios Triantis (MIN), Braian Ojeda (RSL), Dante Sealy (MTL)
D: Andrew Gutman (CHI), Thiago Martins (NYC), Alex Freeman (ORL)
GK: Sean Johnson (TOR)
Coach: Pascal Jansen (NYC)
Bench: Pedro Gallese (ORL), Artem Smolyakov (LAFC), Andy Najar (NSH), Albert Rusnák (SEA), Diego Luna (RSL), Milan Iloski (PHI), Mikael Uhre (PHI), Petar Musa (DAL), Josef Martínez (SJ)
