New England Revolution's Ema Boateng (18) defends against Toronto FC's Deandre Kerr (29) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday, June 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Michael Dwyer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Substitute Giacomo Vrioni scored the winner as the New England Revolution rallied to defeat Toronto FC 2-1 Saturday, setting a franchise record for the longest home undefeated streak to open a season.
Lorenzo Insigne scored for Toronto in the 90th minute, hammering a shot home, but the goal was negated for offside.
New England (10-3-6) improved to 7-0-3 at Gillette Stadium where it has outscored opponents 23-9 in Major League Soccer action this year. The Revs have also won three straight and are unbeaten in six games (3-0-3).
Toronto (3-7-10) fell to 0-6-4 on the road in league play this season and has won just four of 44 matches (4-29-11) away from home since the start of the 2021 campaign.
A mid-week 3-0 loss in Cincinnati ended a four-game unbeaten run for Toronto (1-0-3). Bob Bradley’s team is now winless in five league games (0-2-3) and has won just two of its last 17 games in all competitions (2-7-8).
Saturday’s match completed a trio of games for Toronto against the league’s top teams. TFC tied visiting Nashville, which went into weekend play second overall in the league, 1-1 on June 10.
Both teams went into the game with depleted rosters, with Toronto missing 11 players through injury or international duty. TFC could only manage a seven-player bench.
Third-string Toronto goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh started for the second game in a row, with starter Sean Johnson and backup Tomas Romero away with the U.S. and El Salvador sides, respectively. His start mid-week in Cincinnati was his first in the league since September 2020 and just the sixth of his career.
Toronto went ahead in the 11th minute on Deandre Kerr’s well-placed header. Insigne found Cristian Gutierrez in the Revs penalty box and the fullback, making his first start for Toronto, sent a perfect cross to Kerr to finish for his third of the season.
Bobby Wood pulled New England even in the 33rd minute after Matt Hedges’ attempt at a clearing header went straight to the U.S. international. Wood, using Gutierrez as a screen, beat Ranjitsingh on the short side with the Revs’ first shot on target for his seventh goal of the season.
New England appeared to have gone ahead in the 41st minute on Gustavo Bou’s audacious backheel, redirecting Brandon Bye’s low cross past Ranjitsingh, but the offside flag went up.
Both sides withdrew star players at halftime with Bou and Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi not taking the field for the second half.
Italian Giacomo Vrioni, who replaced Bou, put New England ahead in the 52nd minute. Wood controlled a long ball and sent over a cross that eluded two defenders en route to Vrioni, who shifted to his right to made room for a low-angled shot that beat Ranjitsingh.
It was the fourth goal of the season for the former Juventus man, one of New England’s designated players.
The Revs could have extended the lead three minutes later after Insigne lost the ball at midfield. As the Italian stood rooted to the spot, seemingly unhappy at the pass from a teammate, Carles Gil charged down the field. He found Woods, whose shot was stopped by Ranjitsingh.
New England goalkeeper Jordje Petrovic, back from international duty with Serbia, made a marvellous one-handed save to deny Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty in the 72nd minute, after a fine feed by Insigne.
Bradley sent on Sigurd Rosted, Shane O’Neill and Themi Antonoglou to open the second half, rejigging his defence.
Toronto fullback Richie Laryea and midfielder Jonathan Osorio are away with Canada. TFC was also without defender Kobe Franklin and Raoul Petretta and midfielders Michael Bradley, Alonso Coello and Victor Vazquez and forwards Adama Diomande and Hugo Mbongue, unavailable through injury or illness.
Hedges returned to the starting lineup after a two-game absence but only lasted a half.
New England was missing defender DeJuan Jones, who is away with the U.S. national team. Dylan Borrero, Nacho Gil, Henry Kessler, Brazil’s Maciel, Christian Makoun and Tommy McNamara were out injured.
New England won 2-0 when the teams met at BMO Field on May 6.
Toronto hosts Real Salt Lake next Saturday.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2023.
