Another Defeat for John Herdman's Side | Toronto FC 1-3 DC United

In a new MLS matchday, Toronto FC was seeking a crucial victory to stay in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, they faced a very challenging game where chances were scarce, and they ultimately lost the match in the final moments, reminiscent of several similar defeats in previous months.

Now, Toronto FC finds themselves in a precarious position, sitting in eighth place with 33 points, having played one more game than most of the teams in the Eastern Conference.

READ MORE: Toronto FC's September Schedule

A Tough Defeat for TFC at BMO Field

In this match, John Herdman fielded a fairly competitive team, though Federico Bernardeschi was given a rest, leaving Lorenzo Insigne to lead the squad. Herdman opted for his usual 3-4-3 formation to face a DC United team that, despite not being in the best form, saw this match as an opportunity to climb the standings and keep their playoff hopes alive in the Eastern Conference.

While the first half lacked significant excitement, the second half saw more action. The deadlock was broken in the 67th minute when DC United's Martín Rodríguez, who had come on as a substitute, scored to put his team ahead. Unfortunately for Toronto FC, their substitutions didn’t have the desired impact to get back into the game, but Richie Laryea did manage to set up Deandre Kerr for a goal in the 82nd minute, leveling the score at 1-1. With plenty of time left, John Herdman hoped for a comeback.

However, it wasn't to be. Toronto FC focused so much on attacking that they neglected their defense, allowing Dominique Badji to score in the 88th minute, making it 2-1 and leaving Toronto with little chance of a comeback. The final blow came in the 90+3rd minute when Gabriel Pirani sealed the game with a third goal for DC United, putting Toronto FC in a very difficult spot in their MLS campaign with this defeat.

Now, John Herdman must turn his attention to the next match, though he will have to wait for a long 14-day break before Toronto FC can compete again in MLS. They will face Austin at home, where they hope to secure three crucial points to stay in the race for the MLS playoffs. With only a few matches left, Toronto FC needs to accumulate important victories in this championship.