2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 15
Toronto FC vs. Philadelphia Union
Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium – East Hartford
October 3 – 7:30 PM ET
TV: TSN 1/4
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US
LOCAL TV: PHL17
After defeating Supporters' Shield-leading Columbus last week in their first US-based home game, Toronto FC are looking to make it 2-for-2 in East Hartford when they host the surging Philadelphia Union in a marquee Saturday night matchup.
Toronto (8W-2L-4D) moved within two points of East-leading Columbus with that 3-1 win Sunday night, while the Union (8W-2L-4D) are level on points in second following a 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF at home.
Toronto FC
Jozy Altidore, Alejandro Pozuelo and Richie Laryea scored second-half goals as Toronto FC bounced back from a first-half own goal to earn what coach Greg Vanney considers a "statement win" over the league's best team.
"What I care about, honestly, is the statement that it makes inside of our team," Vanney said after the game. "Tonight, the statement was, again, emotionally, when we stay in the right place, we work together, we stay positive, and we stay connected, we can be really good. If we're not, we can be our own worst enemy and that's not what we want.
"That's the message that I want to be loud and clear, and that's in our locker room," he added. "I don't really care what everybody else thinks. The message in our locker room was clear. They responded to it in the second half, and they proved in a lot of ways what they're capable of doing when we're all in the right spot, and so that's the only message I care about tonight was we got three points, and the response was fabulous."
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Achara (M) - ACL injury
- OUT: Michael Bradley (M) - Grade 2 MCL strain
- OUT: Auro Jr. (D) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Philadelphia Union
It was business as usual at Subaru Park Sunday night as Anthony Fontana set the tone with a first-half goal and Ilsinho and Brenden Aaronson followed suit after halftime to spoil Gonzalo Higuain's MLS debut and stretch the Union's unbeaten streak to five games. Fontana, the latest Homegrown to shine, is making a case to stay in the Philly lineup.
"And as you saw tonight, he’s a very lethal finisher," Curtin said after the game. "We still missed a couple of passes but overall, (I'm) happy for Anthony, the kid continues to produce for us. Everybody’s contributing right now and that locker room is really excited, really happy and they’re really together which is probably the most important thing."Part of that attack is Pedro Santos, who is on a five-match points streak (3G, 4A).
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Ray Gaddis (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Jack Elliott (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Kai Wagner (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Warren Creavalle (M) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: Alejandro Bedoya (M)
- Suspended after next caution: Jamiro Monteiro (M)
- International duty: None
Series Matchup at Toronto FC
- Toronto FC: 6 wins, 20 goals
- Union: 3 wins, 16 goals
- 3 draws
Officials
- Referee: Victor Rivas
- Assistant Referees: Ian McKay, Gjovalin Bori
- 4th Official: Luis Arroyo
- VAR: Sorin Stoica
