Nashville SC holds on to edge Toronto FC in entertaining contest
TORONTO — English forward Sam Surridge scored twice in the second half and Nashville SC held on for a 2-1 win over Toronto FC in MLS play Saturday, extending its unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions (6-0-2).
Article content
Article content
Two goals, one from each side, in the dying minutes made for a frenzied finale before an announced crowd of 19,504 at BMO Field.
Article content
The first half, entertaining while short on scoring chances, saw both teams probe the opposition defence with Nashville having the only shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
Article content
Article content
The contest came alive in the second half.
Article content
Toronto's first shot on target, in the 53rd minute, was a doozy. Lorenzo Insigne floated a cross into the Nashville penalty box that Norwegian striker Ola Byrnhildsen, contorting his body like a gymnast, turned into spectacular bicycle kick. Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis made the save, however.
Article content
Nashville (8-4-3) went one better in the 57th minute with Andy Najar sending a long ball to Hany Mukhtar behind the Toronto defence. The former MLS MVP deftly redirected the ball across the goal for Surridge to knock home for his seventh of the season.
Article content
Mukhtar could have had two goals himself in the second half but was denied by Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
Article content
Toronto (3-8-4) did not fold, however, with Brynhildsen and Insigne both coming close around the 70-minute mark. And the home side kept coming. Substitute Tyrese Spicer came close with a blast in the 83rd minute.
Article content
It looked like Surridge had ended the drama in the 89th minute with an insurance goal as Toronto's defence was cut open. But TFC captain Jonathan Osorio, returning from injury, scored one minute into stoppage time with a rocket of a shot from outside the penalty box to make things interesting.
Article content
Article content
It was Osorio's 50th career goal, along with 53 assists.
Article content
Nashville entered weekend play in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, nine places and 11 points ahead of Toronto.
Article content
Coming off a record 6-1 victory at CF Montreal, Toronto had won two of its previous three games (2-0-1). And after an 0-4-4 start to the season, Toronto had gone 3-3-0 in league play before Saturday.
Article content
Saturday's game was the 600th regular-season outing for the franchise, which has compiled a (180-265-155) record since entering MLS in 2007. Eighty-five of those wins came between 2015 and 2020, when Toronto made the playoffs five out of the six seasons — its only post-season appearances to date.
Article content
Toronto reached the MLS Cup final in 2016, '17 and '19, hoisting the trophy in 2017 when it also won the Canadian Championship and Supporters' Shield (for the best regular-season record).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Oilers fans find a home in Calgary bars as Edmonton takes another shot at the Cup
About an hour before every Edmonton Oilers game for the next few weeks, Ernie Tsu plans to stroll down the street in Calgary for a cup of sake. Wearing his Oilers jersey, he'll then walk from the restaurant back to join a raucous crowd of Edmonton fans at his bar in the heart of Calgary's Red Mile, the name given to the stretch of 17th Avenue during the Flames' 2004 Stanley Cup run. "I'm pretty superstitious," Tsu, owner of Trolley 5 Restaurant and Brewery, said in the lead-up to the Stanley Cup final between the Oilers and the Florida Panthers. Edmonton won Game 1 on Wednesday. "Since I've been having sake there, they haven't lost [a series]." 2 large flags Trolley 5, a not-so-secret hub for Oilers fans in rival Calgary, has flourished in the team's consecutive runs for the Cup. Two large flags — one for the Oilers, another for Alberta — hang from the rafters of the three-storey bar. Aside from a few framed flaming C jerseys plastered to the wall, it's evident Oil Country has found a home while the local franchise remains excluded from the playoffs for the third straight year. As the Flames continue to rebuild, the Oilers have provided another springtime boom for Calgary sports bars. The Oilers surged past the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars in the first three rounds. Tsu said Calgary's community of Oilers fans has grown organically since he opened the bar nine years ago. He now likens it to a family. Earlier in the week, he took 30 diehard followers out for dim sum as a thank you. This year, he said, more Oilers fans have seemed engaged in light of surging patriotism. "I'd say there's more people, and I think with the U.S. tariffs, you've got more people supporting a Canadian team," he said. 'Never be a fan' Not all Calgary bar owners are as thrilled by another successful Oilers run. "I'm a Matthew Tkachuk-Florida fan for the rest of the season," said Mike Shupenia, referring to the Panthers' captain and former Flames player. "I will never be an Oilers fan." But he'll take the business. The owner and manager of Side Street Pub and Eatery in Calgary's Kensington neighbourhood suspects his restaurant would be just as busy if the Flames were gunning for the Cup. During last year's finals, people were lining up for tables as early as 3 p.m. The Calgary-raised Shupenia is begrudgingly offering service to Oilers faithful this year. A handful of red goal lights around the bar go off every time Edmonton scores. And the bar gives a boxing championship belt decorated in Oilers blue and orange to the winner of a raffle, with five-dollar entries given to a children's food charity. For now, Shupenia is bracing for perhaps the busiest few weeks of the year. But he'll keep his fingers crossed behind the bar for the Panthers to claim their second straight Cup. If not, he said, "I don't think we'll ever be able to live it down."
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Roughriders believe they're ‘on the clock' ahead of 2025 season
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris (7) throws against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the second half of CFL Western Conference final action in Winnipeg Saturday, November 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods The Saskatchewan Roughriders have set their team motto for the 2025 season that kicks off Thursday night against the Ottawa Redblacks at Mosaic Stadium. 'We're one the clock,' head coach Corey Mace told reporters Wednesday. 'We think it's our time.' 'What are we going to do with it?' he added. In 2024, Saskatchewan finished second place in the CFL's West Division with a 9-8-1 record, before falling to the rival Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the division final. Much of the team's core has returned to Regina and are hoping to take the next step towards becoming a Grey Cup contender in 2025. 'Everybody's hungry,' Mace said. 'But it's one thing to say – it's another thing to do it every day. And certainly, [Thursday's] another day that we have to answer the bell.' Quarterback Trevor Harris is known to wear several wristbands with various slogans on his arm throughout the season - which he also gives to his teammates as reminders. This year, 'S.R. Time' is written on one of the wristbands. 'For Saskatchewan Roughrider time,' Harris said. 'But I think there's a little bit more to that. And if you say it fast enough, 'it's our time.' 'It is our time to be on the clock. And hopefully this year is our time,' the quarterback added. TSN's Dave Naylor picked the Roughriders to win the West Division and make it to the 112th Grey Cup. 'This was not a team that needed an overhaul,' he told CTV Saskatchewan Morning Live Wednesday. 'On paper, they might be the best lineup.' 'I look at the roster and I go around them position group by position group – I just see consistency. I see some improvements from a year ago,' Naylor added. Cohesion has been the word of the season so far in 2025. Harris believes 2024 was a year of setting the foundation. With so many core players returning, it is time to build something great. 'Now it's time to see what we've done,' he said. 'Hopefully we can make it happen. But we know every week is going to be a tough test.' Saskatchewan kicks off their season Thursday night at 7 p.m. against the Ottawa Redblacks. OL injuries spark first pro start for Collins Due to injuries on the offensive line, one Saskatchewan Roughriders rookie will get his first pro start Thursday night. 'I didn't expect to call it up week one,' Payton Collins said after the team's walkthrough Wednesday. '[I] just have to be ready for whatever and have a chance to help the team this weekend. I'm excited to see us go out and compete.' Collins slots in at the left tackle position Thursday after the team announced Jacob Brammer was out for Week 1 with a back injury. The Eastern Kentucky University Colonel was signed by the Riders just prior to the start of training camp. The All-American set a program record by starting 56 consecutive games, beginning in 2020. As a senior in 2024, he helped lead an offence which rushed for over 2,400 yards, the third-highest total in the conference and produced more than 4,500 yards of total offence and 36 touchdowns. Collins said it has been a transition to learn the CFL-style of game. '[There are] a lot of different rules with 12 people on the field and stuff like the yard off the ball,' he admitted. 'But at the end of the day, it's football. Football is football and it's a physical game. So just come out there and be physical, play hard and the rest will take care of itself.' Due to his bright red hair, Collins has already earned the nicknames 'Big Red' and 'Clifford'. Mace says Collins has built trust in his short tenure with the Riders. 'Big Red is a really good football player,' the head coach said. '[We were] really excited when we had the opportunity to sign him. When he came in, he kind of validated our thoughts.' Saskatchewan started 14 different offensive lineman in 2024 – mostly due to a high number of injuries. Harris also reaffirmed his confidence in the men protecting him in the pocket. 'We've been here before,' the pivot said. 'The bad thing about starting 14 guys on the O-line is you had to start 14 guys. The good thing is you got a lot of faith in a lot of those guys.' 'I know those guys will do a great job,' Harris added. '[It] means a lot they put their trust in [me] to be the starting left tackle this week,' Collins said. 'But also puts a lot on my mind. I gotta make sure I know what I'm doing and go out there and, make them say, 'hey, we made the right decision by starting this guy.' Only one other Roughrider rookie made the main roster. 2025 CFL Draft fourth overall pick Ali Saad will back up on the defensive line to start the season.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Canada men's head coach Marsch adds experienced Johnston, Osorio for CONCACAF Gold Cup
Veterans Alistair Johnston and Jonathan Osorio will rejoin Canada later this month for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Both are included in Jesse Marsch's 26-man roster, which also adds goalkeeper Tom McGill and defender Kamal Miller to those held over from the 23-player Canadian Shield Tournament, which begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET with No. 30 Canada hosting No. 25 Ukraine at Toronto's BMO Field. The Canadians face No. 41 Ivory Coast next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. "We're excited to be bringing a very strong squad to the upcoming Gold Cup," Marsch said in a statement. "We're very confident in the group and are looking forward to challenging for the title." Osorio (84 caps), Johnston (53) and Millar (47) bring a combined 184 caps to the squad. Osorio could skip the Shield tournament after suffering a shoulder injury with TFC on April 30. Celtic's Johnston had been dealing with a back issue. Fulback/wingback Richie Laryea, replaced by Zorhan Bassong due to injury in the CONCACAF Nations League Final roster in March, returned to action May 31 for Toronto FC from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since March 1 and is part of both the Shield and Gold Cup squads. Midfielder Stephen Eustaquio is included in the Gold Cup roster even though his club, Portugal's FC Porto, is involved in the FIFA Club World Cup, which runs at the same time in the United States. The hope is he will be able to rejoin Canada at some point during the Gold Cup. McGill is added as the third goalkeeper on the roster, joining Maxime Crepeau and Dayne St. Clair. Osorio most experienced player There are 12 MLS players, including two from Toronto (Laryea and Osorio), two from CF Montreal (Nathan Saliba and Joel Waterman) and three from Vancouver (Sam Adekugbe, Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson). The roster ranges in age from 19 for Fulham defender de Fougerolles to 32 for Osorio, the most experienced player in the group. Canada opens Gold Cup play June 17 against No. 75 Honduras in Vancouver before heading to Houston to complete Group B play against No. 90 Curacao on June 21 and No. 81 El Salvador on June 24. The 16-team Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean runs June 14 through July 6 in 13 cities (all but Vancouver in the U.S.). The field includes No. 58 Saudi Arabia as a guest team. The winner and runner-up from each of the four groups advance to the knockout stage. Canada won the Gold Cup in 2000 and was third in 2002. The Canadian men lost to the U.S. in a penalty shootout in the round of 16 last time out in 2023. Mexico has won the title seven times and finished runner-up twice. The U.S. has lifted the trophy seven times and finished second on five occasions. Canada roster Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS) Tom McGill, Brighton & Hove Albion (England) Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United (MLS) Defenders Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS) Derek Cornelius, Olympique de Marseille (France) Luc De Fougerolles, Fulham (England) Jamie Knight-Lebel, Bristol City (England) Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS) Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland) Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS) Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia) Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS) Midfielders Ali Ahmed, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS) Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy) Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland) Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal) Ismael Kone, Olympique de Marseille (France) Jayden Nelson, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS) Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS) Nathan Saliba, CF Montreal (MLS) Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS) Forwards Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France) Promise David, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) Daniel Jebbison, AFC Bournemouth (England) Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain) Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS)
