Saturday's visit to the New York Red Bulls takes Toronto FC into hostile territory as it looks for its first victory of the MLS season.
Toronto has not won at the Red Bulls since a 2-0 decision March 2016 and is 2-17-2 all-time at the New Yorkers' suburban home in regular-season play, outscored 51-11.
Toronto is winless in its last 11 regular-season meetings (0-8-3) with the Red Bulls and has been outscored 24-5 home and away since a 3-1 win at BMO Field in July 2019, when current Toronto head coach Robin Fraser was still an assistant to Greg Vanney. Fraser left a month later to take charge of the Colorado Rapids.
"They're tough to play against," Fraser, who was named Toronto coach on Jan. 10, said of the Red Bulls. "They have a lot of energy wherever they play and they have even more energy at home. They make it very difficult for teams to play there.
"Over the years, you've seen lots of different teams go in there, different types of teams, different styles of play and it's just a young place to play. It really is. They have really well-organized team. They have very good athletes and good footballers too."
Toronto (0-3-1) is very much a work in progress under Fraser, having lost three straight to the Chicago Fire (2-1), FC Cincinnati (2-0) and Orlando City (4-2) after drawing 2-2 at D.C. United in the season opener.
Fraser has seen positives while ruing breakdowns that have led to goals. He sees that as a product of the franchise's rocky recent past.
"I think specifically with us, the group has been up and down for years and they haven't had enough consistent success that, when things start to go wrong, that they stick to what they do because they know that this works.
"So I think we're in the process right now of recalibrating. It'll take a couple of situations where it's tough and that we grind it out and we get a positive result. And I think that builds resilience."
Injuries have not helped his cause.
Norwegian striker Ola Brynhildsen is sidelined after being withdrawn due to injury in the warm-up last Saturday ahead of the loss to visiting Chicago. Canadian international fullback/wingback Richie Laryea is in England seeing a specialist for a hamstring injury.
Asked about the timeline for Brynhildsen's recovery Fraser said: "It won't be this weekend but I don't think it will be long."
On the plus side, injured defenders Kevin Long, Henry Wingo, Sigurd Rosted and Raoul Petretta were all back in training this week. Wingo, however, was listed as questionable.
Out-of-favour Italian star Lorenzo Insigne has yet to dress this season, although there has been some speculation he may get a second chance.
Out injured for the Red Bulls are Kyle Duncan, Cameron Harper, Roald Mitchell, Marcelo Morales and Lewis Morgan. Mohammed Sofo is questionable.
Both teams are missing players away on international duty.
Toronto is without captain Jonathan Osorio (Canada), fellow midfielder Deybi Flores (Honduras) and wingback Tyrese Spicer (Trinidad and Tobago).
New York is missing goalkeepers Carlos Coronel (Paraguay) and Aidan Stokes (U.S. under-17), defenders Omar Valencia (Panama) and Curtis Ofori (Ghana under-20), midfielder Tanner Rosborough (U.S. under-17) and forward Dennis Giengaar (Norway under-21).
A.J. Marcucci, selected in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, is expected to make his MLS debut in goal for New York. The 25-year-old has played for the Red Bulls reserve side and spent part of last season on loan in Finland to IF Gnistan.
"We believe in him because he showed us, in every training session, his quality," said Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz.
The Red Bulls made it to the MLS Cup final last season, losing 2-1 to the Los Angeles Galaxy. But success has been slow to come this season with New York at 1-1-2.
After losing 1-0 at FC Cincinnati in the season opener, the Red Bulls blanked Nashville 2-0, played to a scoreless draw at Atlanta and drew 2-2 with visiting Orlando City last weekend at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
New to the Red Bull attack this season is 35-year-old Cameroon international Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Signed as a designated player in December, Choupo-Moting previously played for Bayern Munich, FC Schalke 04, FSV Mainz 05 and Hamburger SV in Germany, Paris Saint-Germain in France and Stoke City in England.
The Red Bulls sporting director is Julian de Guzman, a former Canadian captain and TFC designated player,
The New York roster also includes Canadian wingback Raheem Edwards, who played for Toronto in 2016 and '17 before moving on to Chicago (twice), Montreal (twice), Minnesota, Los Angeles FC, Los Angeles Galaxy and the Red Bulls.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
