Reds Rundown | What you need to know before Matchday 30 | Toronto FC (2024)

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Toronto FC (10-14-3, 30 points) return to host D.C. United (6-12-8, 26 pts) in Major League Soccer action at BMO Field on Saturday evening. The Matchday 30 encounter in Toronto, Ontario kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app and on TSN 3/5 in Canada.

With three victories and nine points in the club’s last four MLS matches dating back to July 13, the Reds will be eager to continue their winning ways in the second and final MLS regular season meeting against D.C. Historically, TFC hold a 12W-17L-12T record through their first 41 regular season meetings and will be looking for their third consecutive home victory against the Black-and-Red.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Toronto FC welcome D.C. United for the second and final MLS regular season meeting between the two clubs on Saturday evening. With six home wins in 2024, TFC hold a 121W-88L-77T all-time record (440 points) in MLS regular season matches played on home soil to date.

AN ODE TO THE PAST

Toronto FC host D.C. United, one of Major League Soccer’s ten founding clubs in 1996, for the 42nd encounter in the all-time series between the two clubs. Historically, TFC hold a 12W-17L-12T record through their first 41 regular season meetings with the Black-and-Red. The two clubs have previously faced off in Toronto on 20 separate occasions, with the Reds holding a combined 8W-9L-3T record at BMO Field. In the most recent meeting at BMO Field, goals from Homegrown pair Deandre Kerr and Kosi Thompson lifted the Reds to a 2-1 victory over the visiting D.C. United on May 27, 2023. More recently, the two Eastern Conference clubs played out a 2-2 draw at Audi Field on June 1, 2024, with late goals from DC’s Theodore Ku-DiPietro and Mateusz Klich cancelling out first-half strikes from Toronto’s Derrick Etienne Jr. and Federico Bernardeschi.

THE CLIMB CONTINUES

Prior to Major League Soccer’s month-long Leagues Cup break, Toronto FC recorded two victories and six points from their last three regular season matches between July 13 and July 20. This past weekend, the Reds marked the return to their MLS campaign with a 1-0 road win against Houston Dynamo FC at Shell Energy Stadium. Prince Owusu’s 54th minute header from Federico Bernardeschi’s corner proved to be the game-winner and the difference between the two sides in the one-goal contest. On the night, Owusu scored his 10th goal of the 2024 season, Sean Johnson recorded his sixth MLS clean sheet of 2024 and Richie Laryea made his 100th MLS regular season appearance for TFC. The performance marked TFC’s first road clean sheet in Houston, Texas since June 2013 and the club’s first road victory against Houston Dynamo since September 2010. The result also marked TFC’s first-ever victory at Shell Energy Stadium (formerly BBVA Compass Stadium) in Houston, Texas.

BATTLE OF THE NORTH

Toronto FC advanced to the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship Final after defeating Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League by a 1-0 scoreline at BMO Field on Tuesday evening. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg played in early July, the Reds asserted their dominance and scored the contest’s opening and only goal when Lorenzo Insigne volleyed home Federico Bernardeschi’s cross five minutes into the second half. The 50th minute effort stood as the game-winning goal and helped the hosts advance to the tournament final on away goals after the 1-0 victory and 2-2 aggregate scoreline. On the night, Henry Wingo made his first Canadian Championship appearance for TFC and Sean Johnson recorded his eighth clean sheet of the 2024 season. With the result, TFC qualified for the Canadian Championship Final for the 14th time in club history and will face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship Final at BC Place on Wednesday, September 25.

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NATIONAL DUTY

Toronto natives Jonathan Osorio and Richie Laryea have been named to the Canadian Men’s National Team roster for upcoming friendlies against FIFA World Cup 26 co-hosts USA and Mexico during the September FIFA window. Following a historic run at the 2024 Copa América tournament in the United States, Canada will take on the United States at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on Saturday, September 7 (4:00 p.m. ET) before facing Mexico at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Tuesday, September 10 (8:30 p.m. ET).

Midfielder Deybi Flores has also been named to the Honduran Men’s National Team as Los Catrachos face Trinidad & Tobago on Friday, September 6 (10:00 p.m. ET) and Jamaica on Tuesday, September 10 (10:00 p.m. ET) in Concacaf Nations League action.

ONCE A RED

For the second time this season, the Reds will come up against a familiar face in goalkeeper Alex Bono on Saturday evening. The Syracuse, New York native was originally selected sixth overall by Toronto FC in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and made 157 appearances across eight seasons (2015 – 2022) for TFC, helping the Reds win an unprecedented domestic treble in 2017 with the MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield and Canadian Championship. In addition to conceding zero goals through TFC’s Eastern Conference final and MLS Cup matchups against Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders in 2017, the American shot-stopper holds a number of the Reds’ all-time goalkeeping records including most goalkeeper wins (67), most clean sheets (35) and most shutouts in a single season (13). Bono joined D.C. United as a free agent in December 2022 and has recorded 59 saves through 21 MLS regular season matches for the Black-and-Red this season.