Leagues Cup: Toronto FC wins against New York Red Bulls

Toronto FC beat New York Red Bulls 5-4 in a penalty shootout thanks to goalkeeper Sean Johnson after their 2024 Leagues Cup season opener ended in a 0-0 draw in regulation time.

Matty Longstaff, Kosi Thompson, Derrick Etienne Jr., Jonathan Osorio and Shane O’Neill scored penalties for Toronto.

Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara, normally the backup to Paraguayan international Carlos Coronel, stopped Jahkeele Marshal-Rutty at TFC’s sixth attempt.

That set up Daniel Edelman for the potential winner, but he missed his shot. O’Neill then gave Toronto a 5-4 lead and Johnson stopped Andres Reyes for the shootout win

Lorenzo Insigne aimed for the top corner and hit the crossbar on Toronto’s first penalty.

Lewis Morgan, Dante Vanzeir, Wiki Carmona and Elias Manoel converted their penalties for the Red Bulls, with Johnson stopping Cory Burke with the game on the line at 4-4.

It was Toronto’s first ever Leagues Cup win. TFC have yet to score a goal in regulation time in the tournament.

Toronto had more possession in a less than exciting first half at Red Bull Arena, managing the only shot on goal before halftime. The game opened up somewhat in the second half, with both goalkeepers being tested.

Johnson saved the equalizer with a fine save in the 84th minute, acrobatically deflecting a Vanzeir header over the bar. And an unmarked Vanzeir headed just wide in the 89th minute.

And Meara saved Insigne’s low shot from outside the box in the dying seconds of injury time. The Italian, who had been having a quiet evening, had a second chance but shot wide.

Under Leagues Cup rules, there was no extra time before the penalty shootout.

Toronto earned two points for the shootout win, while the Red Bulls got one for the shootout loss. A win in regulation time is worth three points in the tournament.

The Red Bulls host Pachuca on Tuesday, before the legendary Mexican team visits Toronto on August 4 to complete the East Group 6 competition.

Now in its fourth edition, the Leagues Cup has grown into a tournament involving all 29 teams from MLS and all 18 from Liga MX.

Liga MX champion Club America and MLS title holder Columbus Crew have advanced to the knockout round of 32. The remaining 45 participants have been divided into 15 groups of three teams.

The top two from each group advance to the round of 16.

Toronto failed to make it out of the group stage of last year’s tournament, losing 5-0 to New York City FC at Red Bull Arena and 1-0 to Mexican side Atlas at BMO Field. The loss to NYCFC was one of the low points in a dismal 2023 season.

The Red Bulls reached the round of 16, but lost on penalties to the Philadelphia Union.

Toronto (9-14-3) currently sits eighth in the MLS Eastern Conference, 11 points behind the fourth-place Red Bulls (10-4-11) with a game in hand.

After a 3-1 win over second-place FC Cincinnati, the Red Bulls were undefeated in their previous eight games (2-0-6). The New Yorkers were also undefeated in 15 consecutive home games.

Toronto had won two of their last three games, including a 1-0 victory over CF Montreal most recently, after a seven-game losing streak in all competitions.

Toronto coach John Herdman fielded perhaps his strongest team, with Kevin Long, Deybi Flores and Etienne replacing O’Neill, Longstaff and Thompson.

The Red Bulls gave 16-year-old attacker Julian Hall his first starting spot.

The homegrown player, who turned 16 on March 24, had already made seven first-team appearances (83 minutes) as a substitute and became the second-youngest goalscorer in MLS history on June 19 – at 16 years, 87 days old – when he scored in the 88th minute to earn the Red Bulls a 2-2 draw at CF Montreal.

Hall, who started up front alongside Morgan, was forced off in the 62nd minute after being knocked while chasing a high ball.

Toronto came into contention in the closing stages of the first half, with a diving Meara parrying a dangerous cross from Federico Bernardeschi that deflected off a defender in the 38th minute, before saving a shot from Jonathan Osorio two minutes later.

Norwegian winger Dennis Gjengaar had a goal for Red Bulls in the 52nd minute ruled out for offside. Three minutes later at the other end, Meara had to make a fine save to stop Etienne’s curling shot that was destined for a corner.

Herdman sent on O’Neill, Longstaff, Thompson, Sigurd Rosted and Marshall-Rutty in the second half.

The Leagues Cup, which started on Friday and runs until August 25, began in 2019 and has also been held in 2020 and 2023.

Mexico’s Cruz Azul and Leon won in 2019 and ’20 respectively, while Lionel Messi and Inter Miami lifted the trophy last year. The top three teams qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the winner earning a bye to the round of 16 of the elite club championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Canadian MLS teams did not compete until 2023, with only Vancouver Whitecaps FC surviving the group stage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2024.