HARRISON — Toronto FC restored out-of-favour Italian star Lorenzo Insigne to the starting lineup but lost again Saturday, beaten 2-1 by the New York Red Bulls.
Toronto (0-4-1) rallied in the second half but left it too late and suffered its fourth straight loss.
Swedish international Emil Forsberg scored both goals for the Red Bulls (2-1-2), from the penalty spot in the 44th minute with the winner coming in the 76th minute.
Deandre Kerr scored against the run of play in the 70th minute to tie it at 1-1 for Toronto, heading home a cross from fellow substitute Derrick Etienne Jr., a former Red Bull. Insigne also earned an assist.
It was Kerr’s second goal in as many weeks off the bench.
Forsberg restored the Red Bulls lead in the 76th minute, put behind the defence by a pass from Uruguayan Felipe Carballo. Toronto appealed for offside but the goal passed a VAR check.
Carballo was sent off in stoppage time for back-to-back yellow cards, first for time wasting and then dissent.
The game, in sporadic rain at Sports Illustrated Stadium, marked the return of Insigne after being frozen out for the first four games of the MLS season. Insigne started up front alongside fellow Italian Federico Bernardeschi, who wore the captain’s armband with Jonathan Osorio away with Canada.
It marked the first competitive action for Insigne since Oct. 5 when he made a 10-minute cameo off the bench in TFC’s 2024 season finale. The 33-year-old former Napoli captain had not dressed in the four previous games and didn’t travel with the team on its three away matches.
Toronto has been trying to move Insigne since, saying he did not fit in the team’s new style of play under coach Robin Fraser. But transfers to teams in Italy, Spain, Turkey and Brazil were turned down.
Insigne played the entire game Saturday, roving around the field but had little impact. He moved back to play behind Kerr when the striker came on near the hour mark.
The Red Bulls controlled play in the first half but generated few chances, with their first two shots on target both straight at goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Six-foot-five Swedish defender Noah Eile came close in the 33rd minute off a Red Bulls corner but his header hit the top of the Toronto crossbar and bounced over the goal.
The home side went ahead in the 44th minute after the video assistant referee convinced referee Jon Freemon to go to the pitchside monitor to review a 38th-minute play that saw Canadian Raheem Edwards, a former TFC player, go down in the Toronto penalty box.
It seemed a harsh call, with Edwards seemingly initiating the contact as his leg tangled with a chasing Henry Wingo. But the Toronto defender did not help his cause by briefly laying a hand on the Red Bull who went down theatrically.
Freemon pointed to the spot after reviewing the play and Forsberg beat Johnson with the spot kick for his second goal of the season.
The Toronto defence was caught short on the play after a Zane Monlouis pass hit a Red Bulls player and bounced back toward the Toronto goal.
Toronto did not manage a shot in the first half, which saw Matty Longstaff, Raoul Petretta and Bernardeschi all booked.
Toronto has not won a regular-season outing at the Red Bulls since a 2-0 decision March 2016 and is 2-18-2 all-time at the New Yorkers’ suburban home in regular-season play, outscored 53-12.
The Red Bulls have won their last eight regular-season matches at home against TFC and are unbeaten in 12 games home and away (9-0-3) against Toronto in regular-season play since a 3-1 win at BMO Field in July 2019.
TFC did win a playoff game at the Red Bulls in 2017 in their championship year.
Toronto’s last road win anywhere was Aug. 24, a 1-0 decision at the Houston Dynamo.
Insigne was one of four changes to Toronto’s starting 11, with Wingo, Petretta and Markus Cimermancic also slotting in. TFC 2 midfielder Michael Sullivan, signed to to an MLS short-term agreement., was on the Toronto bench.
A.J. Marcucci made his MLS debut in goal for the Red Bulls, with No. 1 ‘keeper Carlos Coronel away with Paraguay.
Toronto was without injured Norwegian striker Ola Brynhildsen and Canadian international fullback/wingback Richie Laryea. Midfielder Deybi Flores (Honduras) and wingback Tyrese Spicer (Trinidad and Tobago) were away with their national teams.
Out injured for the Red Bulls were Kyle Duncan, Cameron Harper, Roald Mitchell, Marcelo Morales, Lewis Morgan and Mohammed Sofo.
UP NEXT
Toronto: Hosts the high-flying Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, March 29.
Red Bulls: Visit New England on Saturday, March 29.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 22, 2025.
The Canadian Press
