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Alejandro Pozuelo’s 90th-minute penalty gave Toronto FC a 1-0 victory over New York City FC in MLS play Wednesday night.
The penalty was called after substitute Justin Morrow’s shot hit Nicolas Acevedo’s arm. Pozuelo outguessed goalkeeper Sean Johnson, rolling the ball past him for the win — and his fifth goal of the season.
Pozuelo had come close to creating the winner from a free kick in the 82nd minute but Omar Gonzalez’s header flashed wide.
Toronto (7-2-4) ended NYCFC’s unbeaten run at six games (4-0-2) — a stretch that saw it concede just two goals. TFC, meanwhile, had picked up just four of the 12 points available in its four games (1-2-1) prior to Wednesday.
With the baseball season ongoing, NYCFC is playing its home games at Red Bull Arena in adjoining New Jersey.
WATCH | TFC’s Pozuelo slots home late winner for 5th goal of season:
Toronto, with U.S. teams unable to cross the border because of the pandemic, is playing its home games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. TFC entertains Columbus Crew SC on Sunday in its first game there.
Greg Vanney started forwards Jozy Altidore and Ayo Akinola up front and gave a first start to Liverpool loanee Tony Gallacher at left fullback. Chris Mavinga returned at centre back.
Westberg, Morrow and Eriq Zavaleta moved to the bench. Midfielder Marky Delgado did not dress after taking a knock to the knee in Saturday’s 2-2 tie at D.C. United.
Altidore marked his 150th game in all competitions for Toronto while Mavinga marked game No. 100.
NYCFC made four changes with Jesus Medina, Valentin Castellanos, Anton Tinnerholm and James Sands in the starting lineup.
Referee Joe Dickerson handed out eight yellow cards — four to Toronto and four to NYCFC.
TFC withstand early pressure
The New Yorkers had the better of the first half and Toronto was wobbling on defence when the whistle blew for halftime. NYCFC outshot TFC 10-3 (5-1 in shots on target) in the first 45 minutes.
NYCFC threatened down the wings early and came close in the 10th minute but Bono got a hand to Anton Tinnerholm’s low cross before an attacker did. Bono then had to be sharp to parry a powerful Medina shot in the 19th minute.
Johnson dove to stop a Gonzalez header off a 23rd-minute Pablo Piatti free kick but the play was ruled offside.
New York continued to make inroads on the Toronto defence with Gary Mackay-Steven’s shot going just wide in the 27th minute. And Bono had to make acrobatic back-to-back saves after a 31st-minute NYCFC free kick.
Toronto finally put a shot on target in the 35th minute with Johnson stopping Pozuelo.
Bono made another fine save off Alexander Ring in the 42nd minute off another flowing NYCFC attack.
42’ | Point blank Bones!<br><br>0-0 | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYCvTOR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#NYCvTOR</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/TFCLive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#TFCLive</a> <a href=”https://t.co/VEzy61GLRP”>pic.twitter.com/VEzy61GLRP</a>
—@TorontoFC
Looking for more width, Toronto brought on Erickson Gallardo for Nick DeLeon at halftime. Bono took his lumps in the 51st minute, running into Castellanos going for a NYCFC cross.
NYCFC defender Maxime Chanot couldn’t take advantage of a free header off a corner in the 61st minute.
Toronto teenager Jayden Nelson made his regular-season debut off the bench in the 61st. It took the 17-year-old midfielder just three minutes to earn a yellow card for a shoulder charge.
Heber, NYCFC’s leading goal-scorer in 2019, was stretchered off in the 87th minute with an apparent knee injury.
It was Toronto’s third meeting with the New Yorkers this season.
Toronto defeated NYCFC 1-0 when the two teams met at BMO Field on March 7 prior to the pandemic shutdown. New York had its revenge at the MLS is Back Tournament in Florida, dispatching Toronto 3-1 in the round of 16 on July 26 in a game that did not count in the regular-season standings.
The teams have post-season history. Toronto ended NYCFC’s playoff hopes in both 2016 and 2019.
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