Know Thy Enemy: Revs at Toronto FC Not So Great North Edition
While the Revs recent surge has them near the playoff line, a month ago New England and Toronto were sharing the basement.
The New England Revolution look to extend their current form and three-match winning streak as they visit BMO Field and Toronto FC this afternoon (430 PM EDT, Apple TV).
Now, while both team’s respective goal totals are still in the basement, the Revs recent surge has them on the cusp of getting above the playoff line. The Reds on the other hand are having no such luck. Toronto is winless at home so far in 2025 and just got eliminated midweek by Montreal in the Canadian Championship on penalties.
How it got to penalties…well, that might be the Revs fault. Behold this equalizing thunder bastard by Giacomo F Vrioni:
The Twitter link above is from Canada Soccer and the YouTube is from OneSoccer up in Canada, you can also check out YT highlights of Vancouver taking down Inter Miami in CONCACAF play on their channel as well.
Stellar cup action north of the border this week and now would be a good time to mention that the Whitecaps are in the CCC Final against Cruz Azul and have 23 points in MLS…which is the same amount the Revs, Reds, and Foot Clan/Impact have combined.
The Revs have already gotten through their early season injury scare, with Leo Campana missing about a month but both he and Ignatius Ganago got off the mark with their first New England goals in a 2-0 win over NYC a few weeks ago.
Caleb Porter’s switch to a 5-3-2 wingback look has brought a lot more balance to the Revs, with the width coming from deeper and not sacrificing the integrity of the defensive set up. While it has produced three straight shutouts, the Revs two 1-0 road wins against Atlanta and Charlotte have seen them give up nearly five expected goals (xG) combined across the two matches though I always take the MLS dot com numbers with a grain of salt.
Charlotte was for sure a smash and grab job but the Revs played well in Atlanta despite multiple offside flags denying the Five Stripes a goal. If the Revs are solid potential playoff team we thought they were last year, and certainly have looked like the past month, then a complete wire to wire performance against a TFC side that lost midweek while playing several of their starters would do wonders for an already surging team and fan confidence.
Toronto on the other hand is a bit of a mess even before we begin to figure out how they’ve only managed two points in four home games. Talismanic forward Federico Bernadeschi did not feature in the Canadian Cup match and is questionable for today’s game and youngster DeAndre Kerr is in the middle of a two month injury that has seen him miss all of April so far. Those are the Reds co-leading scorers in MLS with two goals apiece.
Joining us today is our good friend Andrew Hockridge of Waking The Red to give us his take on all things Toronto soccer, including what it’s like to be on the wrong end of a Vrioni wonder strike. You can follow him on Bluesky and be sure to head over to his site my answers to his questions and for all of the TORvNE coverage from their end.
1) We feel slightly responsible for Giacomo Vrioni's dagger goal in the midweek Canadian Championship, have you and Toronto recovered from that wonderstrike and cup exit?
First of all — yes, we’re still hurting. Not so much from the quality of Vrioni’s scissor kick (which was undeniably filthy) but more from the fact that TFC coughed up two separate leads at home to a Montréal side that hadn’t won a competitive game in 2025 until that night. We were 88 minutes away from advancing in the Canadian Championship, a tournament head coach Robin Fraser made clear was a priority, and then... boom. It’s gone. And of course, it had to be against Montréal.
Vrioni’s strike was one of those moments where every TFC fan in the stadium just kind of slumped in unison. It was both “wow, what a goal” and “of course this is happening to us.” After that, it was only fitting the game ended in a penalty shootout meltdown. Three missed pens, including a scuffed stutter-step slip from Theo Corbeanu that’s probably still in orbit somewhere above Exhibition Place.
So, in short, no, we haven’t recovered. And with no more Canadian Championship or Leagues Cup this year, our calendar is now strictly MLS... which means more pressure on games like Saturday’s.
2) TFC has just two points at home through four games in MLS play, what has ailed the Reds at home so far this year?
Where to begin?
Toronto’s issues at BMO Field are a cocktail of frustrating themes. First, there’s the finishing. Or rather, the lack of it. Despite spells of decent buildup play and some lively wing play from Federico Bernardeschi and Theo Corbeanu, Toronto just can’t seem to turn chances into goals. They’ve scored just two goals in their last five MLS games, and haven’t scored a league goal at BMO since March 15. That’s 349 minutes and counting.
Second, injuries. The attacking setup has barely had time to gel with so many key names in and out of the squad. We’ve cycled through striker after striker — Deandre Kerr, Charlie Sharp, Ola Brynhildsen, and most recently, emergency call-up Dékwon Barrow from TFC II — and none of them have found a rhythm up front. Fraser even joked midweek that “being our No. 9 might be the second-most dangerous job in the world.”
Lastly, there’s the mental side. At home, this team seems to feel the pressure. They’ve been close, controlling games in stretches, creating chances, but it’s as if the weight of past collapses creeps in every time they get near the box. One mistake, one deflection, and suddenly it’s “here we go again.”
3) Youngster Deandre Kerr had notched two goals in March but has missed the last month with an injury. How big of a blow has his absence been for a team struggling offensively and who have the Reds turned to for support of talisman Federico Bernardeschi?
Kerr’s absence has been a quiet but significant blow. He’s one of the few players in the squad who runs in behind and takes chances early. His movement helped stretch defences, and without him, TFC’s attack has looked more static. They’ve missed his energy, especially with Insigne still working back to full sharpness.
In his place, Corbeanu has started to step up, finally. After a string of underwhelming performances to open the season, he delivered a goal and an assist midweek, even if the night ended on a sour note with that missed penalty. He’s looked more confident lately and will be key on Saturday.
There’s also been a rotating cast of youngsters: Tyrese Spicer had a strong showing midweek, scoring his first of the year. And Charlie Sharp, who made his first start for the club against NYCFC, showed flashes of promise and could be available off the bench if deemed fit.
That’s left Bernardeschi to shoulder most of the creative load, and while he’s still capable of magic, it’s been far too easy for opponents to crowd him out. Without Osorio (shoulder), and with a still-out-of-sync midfield, Fede’s been asked to do a lot.
Lineup/Injuries/Predictions
Predicted XI (if healthy):
4-2-3-1
GK: Sean Johnson
DEF: Raoul Petretta – Nicksoen Gomis – Kevin Long – Kosi Thompson
MID (DEF): Deybi Flores – Alonso Coello
MID (ATT): Theo Corbeanu – Lorenzo Insigne – Federico Bernardeschi
ST: Ola Brynhildsen
This assumes Bernardeschi is cleared to play (ankle), which Fraser said might be the case. Jonathan Osorio (shoulder), Richie Laryea, Deandre Kerr, Henry Wingo, Derrick Etienne Jr., and Markus Cimermancic are all unlikely to feature.
Score prediction:
Toronto FC 1 – 1 New England Revolution
I think TFC scrape something out of this one, mostly because of desperation. They’ll be itching to end this home winless streak, and the effort midweek showed the fight is still there. But with the Revs in form, solid at the back, and Carles Gil pulling strings, I’m not sure TFC have enough healthy pieces to see out a win.