Two Absences Confirmed for Toronto FC Ahead of Match Against Houston Dynamo

After John Herdman's earlier statements regarding the buildup to this match, he made it clear that several players would be unavailable. In addition to those who are questionable, the absences have now been fully confirmed.

It seems Toronto FC is in for a very tough match, as they face one of the most challenging weeks of the season. The team will need to balance the starters and substitutes perfectly, ensuring a flawless rotation to secure victories in this critical week.

In addition to facing Houston Dynamo in the MLS, Toronto FC will take on Forge FC just a few days later in the second leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal.

READ MORE: John Herdman's Statements Ahead of Toronto FC's Return to MLS

The match reports for the upcoming MLS round have been released

Expectations are high as the competition returns, heading into its final stretch. Many teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences are fighting for playoff spots, and Toronto FC is among them, facing a challenging match away against Houston Dynamo.

For this match, it has been confirmed that Alonso Coelho and Raoul Petretta will not be available. Alonso Coelho is still dealing with a complicated injury, while Raoul Petretta is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Additionally, there are three other players listed as questionable, as John Herdman mentioned in his press conference. Among the questionable players, Lorenzo Insigne's status is particularly concerning. It was hoped that the Italian player would be at 100% after a long break, ready to perform at the highest level. However, it seems likely that he will miss this match to return stronger for the second leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal against Forge FC.

As for Nicksoen Gomis and Tyrese Spicer, the severity of their issues is still unclear, but it’s expected that they might also miss this match. The goal is to have them fully recovered for the Forge FC match, avoiding any unnecessary risks, just like with Insigne.

At the moment, these are still rumors, and John Herdman’s final decision on these three players will be revealed closer to the match. On the Houston Dynamo side, Nelson Quiñones is confirmed to be out, while Coco Carrasquilla is listed as questionable. Like Toronto FC, Houston will assess Carrasquilla's readiness to see if he can play against Toronto FC. This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging and exciting matches of the upcoming MLS round.