Toronto FC completed one of their signature comebacks Wednesday night, scoring in second-half stoppage time at home to top league-leading Nashville SC 2-1.
Amid a mad scramble in front of the visitors’ goal, Emilio Aristizabal arrived on the scene to push the winning goal past goalkeeper Brian Schwake three minutes into stoppage time. The tally marked the Colombian’s first since May.
Toronto (6-7-11, 29 points) extended its MLS unbeaten run to seven and halted Nashville’s at six.
Toronto midfielder Niklas Dorsch had a horror start to his first MLS appearance since he broke his cheekbone on Aug 19. With goalkeeper Luka Gavran off his line, the German inadvertently poked the ball away from his midfield partner Alonso Coello and into his own net to give Nashville a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.
Nashville (16-3-5, 53 points) caused the home side plenty of trouble on its own terms. Tunisian international Elias Saad was a particular nuisance in the first half, testing Gavran on two separate occasions upon racing away from Toronto’s backline.
Fresh off his hat-trick on Saturday, Josh Sargent nearly slid into his eighth goal of the season in the 38th minute when Richie Laryea played him in at the back post. The Designated Player caught a piece of the ball but sent it just wide.
Hany Mukhtar thought he had extended the visitors’ lead in the 49th minute but had his goal chalked off on a fractional offside.
Toronto goal contributions leader Daniel Salloi tied the game in the 72nd minute off a well-placed header. Substitute Theo Corbeanu beat his man to the byline and found the Hungarian at the far post.
New acquisition Lewis Morgan looked threatening in his first start for the Reds, and nearly opened the scoring in the early going. Toronto have now come from behind to earn a point or more five times since the World Cup break.
–Field Level Media
