Jonathan Osorio and Andrew Wiedeman each scored a late goal to spearhead a dramatic comeback victory Saturday afternoon, as Toronto FC defeated the Columbus Crew 2-1 for their first league victory at BMO Field in over a year.
The win also snapped a six-game winless streak for Toronto FC (3-10-8), who had won just once in 17 league matches against the Crew all-time before their heroics in the final seven minutes, played in a torrential downpour. Dominic Oduro scored the lone goal for the Crew (6-10-5), who saw their unbeaten run at BMO Field snapped at eight games.
With the Crew leading late after Oduro’s goal in the 17th minute, TFC equalized in the 87th minute when Jeremy Brockie took a through pass from Bobby Convey and laid it off for a charging Osorio, who buried a left-footed shot past Crew goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum. The goal was Osorio’s fourth goal of the season, all scored at BMO Field.
The Reds weren’t done there, even after defender Stephen Caldwell thumped a header off the post in the 90th minute. The veteran winger Convey was once again the set-up man on the game-winner, and he driffted a pass to the back post in the 94th minute to the foot of a sliding Wiedeman, who redirected the ball past Gruenebaum for his first goal of the season.
TFC’s last win at BMO Field came on July 18, 2012, when the team rallied from a 1-0 deficit against the Colorado Rapids.Wiedeman was once again the hero in that match, scoring the game-winning goal in the 67th minute.
Oduro’s goal was his ninth of the season. He beat TFC keeper Joe Bendik inside the near post on a blast from 25 yards out. TFC nearly equalized in the dying seconds of the first half when Convey sent Brockie in on Gruenebaum, but a perfectly timed tackle from behind by Columbus left back Agustin Viana snuffed out the danger.
Recently signed Spanish winger Alvaro Rey made his MLS debut when he came on the 76th for Toronto.
The Crew return to action on Aug. 3 against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium, while TFC will face the New England Revolution on Aug. 4 at Gillette Stadium. .
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
Rank |
Player |
What We Saw |
1 |
<a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/bobby-convey" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 12px;">Bobby Convey</span></strong></a> |
Set up both late goals for Toronto FC, and his assist on the winner was sublime. |
2 |
<a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/andrew-wiedeman" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 12px;">Andrew Wiedeman</span></strong></a> |
Could split this award with Osorio, but his goal was the one Reds fans will remember. |
3 |
<a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/dominic-oduro" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 12px;">Dominic Oduro</span></strong></a> |
Opportunistic goal in the early going, and had TFC on their heels with every touch. |
