TORONTO — Toronto FC, still looking for its first win of the MLS season, played Minnesota United FC to a scoreless draw Saturday.
Minnesota (4-1-3) extended its unbeaten run to seven games since dropping the season opener 1-0 at Los Angeles FC. Toronto is now winless in eight (0-4-4) this season and has gone 0-8-5 in league play since its last victory, a 2-1 decision over Austin FC on Sept. 14.
On the plus side, Toronto has recorded three straight draws against in-form opposition, having previously tied Inter Miami and visiting Vancouver, after a four-game losing run.
It was an even, uneventful contest with scoring chances few and far between. Given Toronto’s injury issues in defence and attack, a point was likely welcome.
Minnesota entered weekend play in third place in the Western Conference, 11 points and 25 places above Toronto in the Supporters’ Shield standings.
Minnesota had some fun with the trip to Toronto with Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and forward Tani Oluwaseyi. who both started Saturday, introducing teammates to Canadian treats. Coffee Crisps fared better than ketchup chips in the social media video.
The U.S. club also noted that the Loons actually travelled south for the matchup, with Saint Paul’s latitude of 44.93 degrees North compared to 43.65 for Toronto. And in a post announcing its starting 11, it asked “What is 5-3-2 in metric?”
Oluwaseyi, born in Nigeria but raised in nearby Mississauga, and St. Clair, from Pickering, Ont., both had family and friends in the announced crowd of 22,149 at BMO Field.
Toronto was without injured defenders Nicksoen Gomis, Henry Wingo, Zane Monlouis and Richie Laryea as well as forward Deandre Kerr. Striker Ola Brynhildsen, listed as questionable due to “lower-body discomfort,” did not dress.
Toronto coach Robin Fraser made two changes to his starting 11 with defender Kevin Long and forward Derrick Etienne Jr. slotting in for Gomis and Brynhildsen. Etienne, making his 200th MLS regular-season appearance, started up front to lead a Toronto attack that had scored just seven goals in its first seven games.
The average age of the nine-man Toronto bench was 23.2 years.
Minnesota was missing Hassani Dotson, Owen Gene and Kipp Keller.
The visitors started brightly and Toronto ‘keeper Sean Johnson had to be sharp in the third minute to parry a deflected shot from South African international Bongokuhle Hlongwane.
Toronto was not happy with referee Malik Badawi with Lorenzo Insigne booked for dissent in the 32nd minute after Minnesota’s Jefferson Diaz went unpunished for taking down Etienne to derail a TFC attack.
St. Clair was called into action in the 48th minute, stopping Etienne’s shot from a tight angle after a good feed by Federico Bernardeschi. At the other end, Johnson stopped Nicolas Romero from in close in the 59th minute.
St. Clair has conceded just five goals in seven games this season. Oluwaseyi has five goals and an assist, scoring in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over New York City FC at Yankee Stadium.
Toronto leads the all-time series 2-1-2 with Minnesota’s lone win — a 4-3 decision — coming at home in July 2018. Minnesota had lost both prior visits to BMO Field.
Up next, Toronto plays at Real Salt Lake on Saturday while Minnesota host FC Dallas.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
