CINCINNATI — FC Cincinnati keeps winning. For Toronto FC, the frustration keeps growing.
League-leading Cincinnati entered the MLS record book Wednesday, blanking Toronto 3-0 to run its home record to 10-0-0 this season.
Santiago Arias, Luciano Acosta and Dominique Badji scored for Cincinnati, which joined the 2002 San Jose Earthquakes as the only team to win its first 10 home games of the season. Cincinnati also became the fourth team in MLS history to win 10 consecutive home games (matching San Jose in doing it in one season).
Cincinnati (13-1-4) has won its first 13 home games in all competitions this season, matching San Jose's record run set in 2002.
Cincinnati did it missing a good chunk of its defence with Matt Miazga away with the U.S. team, Yerson Mosquera suspended and former TFC player Nick Hagglund dealing with a hamstring issue. Forward Brandon Vazquez is also with the US. team.
"That was an impressive win," said Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan. "I can only applaud the mentality of how these guys went out and just competed, knowing that it was going to be difficult. And they were rewarded with a great result tonight. So this one did feel really good."
Cincinnati, a fifth-year franchise that finished bottom of the Eastern Conference in its first three seasons, had won just 13 of 62 home games (13-31-18) in all competitions before the current run.
Toronto (3-6-10) was coming off three successive draws and was unbeaten in its last four outings (1-0-3). But it has now won just two of its last 16 games (2-6-8) in all competitions.
It doesn't get any easier Saturday with a visit to New England (9-3-6) that completes a three-match stretch that sees Toronto face the top three teams in the league (TFC tied No. 2 Nashville 1-1 last time out at BMO Field on June 10).
While in 13th place in the East, it is still just four points out of a playoff spot. But it did not help its cause with the manner in which it conceded Wednesday after a promising start.
"The fact that we show moments of good football every game is what we point to," said coach Bob Bradley. "But we've got to be able to sustain it. We've got to be able to eliminate some of those mistakes. And we've still have to do more in terms of scoring goals."
Toronto had more than 63 per cent possession but was outshot 14-11 (7-4 in shots on target). Its XG (expected goals) was 0.7 compared to 2.4 for Cincinnati.
Toronto was missing players through injury and international duty with third-string goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh pressed into action with starter Sean Johnson and backup Tomas Romero away with the U.S. and El Salvador, respectively.
It marked the first MLS start for the 29-year-old Ranjitsingh in more than 33 months.
Cincinnati went ahead in the 35th minute off a corner by Alvaro Barreal. Ranjitsingh made a fine save to block Alvas Powell's header with his body but Arias, a Colombian defender, was johnny on the spot to poke the ball home for his first MLS goal.
Cincinnati turned it up in the second half.
A poor clearance by Ranjitsingh, under pressure from Cincinnati's Yuya Kubo, went straight to Marco Angulo. The Ecuador international sent the ball across to Acosta, who paused and then roofed the ball past the 'keeper in the 54th minute.
The Argentine designated player is on a roll, scoring eight goals in his last eight regular-season games.
Acosta played provider in the 63rd minute after Toronto was caught napping on a quick free kick. The ball went to Acosta who put Badji behind the Toronto defence with a marvellous pass with only Ranjitsingh to beat.
"The second and third are really tough goals to give up as you're trying to push back into a game," lamented Bradley.
The game decided, Cincinnati gave debuts to 15-year-old defender Stiven Jimenez, 18-year-old midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela and 22-year-old defender Bret Halsey, who was signed earlier in the day to a short-term agreement from FC Cincinnati 2, off the bench in the second half.
Richie Laryea, who shifted from fullback to centre back, and Osorio started for Toronto after returning from CONCACAF Nations League duty with Canada. The two will now rejoin Canada for the Gold Cup.
Despite coming out of an 11-day break for international play, Toronto was down bodies with defender Matt Hedges, midfielders Michael Bradley, Alonso Coello and Victor Vazquez and forwards Adama Diomande and Hugo Mbongue all unavailable.
Bradley had to rejig the Toronto defence when Raoul Petretta exited in the 40th minute. Fellow fullback Kobe Franklin needed treatment late in the half after falling awkwardly but returned to action.
Toronto has yet to win on the road this season (0-5-4). Its winless streak away from home now stands at 12 games (0-8-4) with its last road victory a 2-0 decision Aug. 27, 2022, at Charlotte. Toronto has won just two of its last 34 league road games (2-22-10) and has been shut out in 18 of those, including five of the last seven.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023
The Canadian Press
