FT: Toronto FC 2-2 LA Galaxy - Game thread, preview, how to watch

Live Thread

FT - Toronto FC 2-2 LA Galaxy. A great game of football at BMO Field. Yet, two points dropped for the Reds in their push for the playoffs.

90’ - SEVEN minutes of added time.

89’ - GOAL LA GALAXY. Wow, an absolute screamer from Puig to level things up late on.

81’ - GOAL TORONTO FC. COOL AS YOU LIKE FROM BERNARDESCHI (despite the slip).

80’ - PENALTY TFC!

75’ - Safe to say we are in for a thrilling final 15 minutes here.

70’ - A stat courtesy of our very own Martyn Bailey: Jimenez is the 11th different Toronto FC player in history to score at least 10 goals in all competitions in a single season.

65’ - Bob Bradley makes his fourth change of the night, bringing on Shane O’Neill for MacNaughton.

62’ - GOAL TORONTO FC. JESUS JIMENEZ MOMENTS AFTER COMING ON. BIG MOMENT FOR THE SPANIARD.

55’ - Bernardeschi has the ball in the back of the net, but the assistant referee’s flag is up for offside.

53’ - VAR did indeed review the MacNaughton clearance on Vazquez for a possible red.

50’ - Lukas MacNaughton picks up a yellow. Not sure he intentionally meant to kick the ball right at VV.

46’ - A crucial half of football lies ahead.

HT - Toronto FC 0-1 LA Galaxy. Work to do in the second half.

45’ - Four minutes of added time.

32’ - Promising run from Richie Laryea to the edge of the box, but the Canadian international’s wayward cross relieves LA of some TFC pressure.

30’ - Gorgeous tackle from Mavinga to thwart a speeding Costa.

24’ - GOAL LA GALAXY. My oh my, what a free-kick from Douglas Costa. Bono arguably should have got a hand to that, but it was well-hit nonetheless.

15’ - Well we don’t see Ayo Akinola trying his luck from distance very often, but that was a good effort from the Detroit-born forward.

12’ - A lively start to this one with both sides pushing the tempo early on.

9’ - Yet another chance for TFC as Kosi Thompson’s shot from the top of the box takes a deflection and goes out for a corner. The Reds are hungry!

7’ - Moments later, Insigne turners provider, whipping in a sumptuous ball to Bernardeschi at the far post, but the No. 10’s header goes well off target.

6’ - Insigne’s attempt from distance, the game’s first shot, leaves Jonathan Bond untroubled.

5’ - Richie Laryea ensuring that Riqui Puig has no room to get creative. You love to see it.

1’ - This is where the fun begins.

7:20 pm EST - Gotta love Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi staying on the pitch after warmups to practice free-kicks.

7:00 pm EST - A massive congratulations to Chris Mavinga for becoming the ninth player in Toronto FC history to reach 150 appearances for the club! He is also the first player from a non-CONCACAF nation to hit that milestone.

6:55 pm EST - So no Mark-Anthony once again. With Jonathan Osorio out too, all eyes will surely be on TFC’s midfield tonight.

6:30 pm EST - Greg Vanney returns to BMO Field for the first time since leaving the Reds as Toronto FC plays host to the LA Galaxy in quite the midweek six-pointer. Both sides are locked in a playoff race in their respective conference, making tonight’s clash one you won’t want to miss.

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Starting XIs

Bob Bradley makes just one change to the side that beat Charlotte FC over the weekend, with Kosi Thompson coming into the middle of the park for Deandre Kerr, who is unavailable for selection. As expected, Jonathan Osorio and Mark-Anthony Kaye are not in the matchday squad, while Quentin Westberg is back amongst the substitutes.

For the LA Galaxy, Víctor Vázquez starts on his return to BMO Field, with Raheem Edwards available off the bench. Mark Delgado did not travel with the team due to illness, while Eriq Zavaleta is not in the matchday squad. Danger-men Chichariot and Riqui Puig both start for Greg Vanney’s side.

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Match Preview via Adam Palermo

Wednesday night is set to be a nice little homecoming in the middle of a heated playoff race.

Greg Vanney will be back on the touchline at BMO Field for the first time since 2020, this time though, in the visiting team’s technical area. Joining him will be some former Reds, eager to make their mark against their old club.

Vanney, who left Toronto after the 2020 season, returns with both his current and former side entrenched in tight playoff battle in their respective conferences.

Toronto, coming off of an encouraging 2-0 win in Charlotte, return home for a massive midweek matchup. The Reds are now three points out of the seventh and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, though the seventh-placed Columbus Crew have two games in hand.

LA Galaxy are in a slightly more comfortable position, with Vanney’s side sitting in seventh, one point ahead of the Portland Timbers, but with two games in hand.

TFC have lost just once in their previous seven matches. The squad has done their part to stay in the mix, playing some of their best soccer (and scoring some of their nicest goals) with the regular season drawing to a close.

Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi have of course been spectacular of late. The pair assisted each other for the two goals against Charlotte and have been carrying the goalscoring load since their debuts in July.

With the goals flowing at one end, TFC has found some defensive consistency and solidity at the other end at an opportune time. The same back four of Domenico Criscito, Chris Mavinga, Lukas MacNaughton, and Richie Laryea have started the past five consecutive matches together. Coming off of their third clean sheet of the 2022 MLS season, Toronto has looked more comfortable at the back as of late, with less mistakes being made in their own end.

Joining Greg Vanney on Wednesday will be former TFC players Victor Vazquez, Raheem Edwards, and Eriq Zavaleta.

Vazquez has played a rotational role for his new club, coming off the bench in 11 of his 19 appearances so far. That trend may continue with the arrival of another former Barcelona midfielder, Riqui Puig. The 23-year-old has just recently signed in LA, setting up a splendid assist to Chicharito in a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution in the Galaxy’s last match.

Raheem Edwards was not a part of the squad for that game but might make a return to the fold in Toronto against the club that raised him. The MLS journeyman has revived his career under Vanney’s tutelage this season, recording six assists in 21 starts for the Galaxy.

Yet, divisive midfielder Mark Delgado will have to wait to make his return to his old stomping grounds. The United States international has officially been ruled out of the Wednesday night matchup.

Looking to unlock the defence and unload the goals in Toronto will be Chicharito. Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer has 12 strikes on the season and has scored in four straight matches.

Another name to look out for is Dejan Joveljic. The young striker has been nothing short of a super sub this campaign, netting 10 goals in just six starts. The Serbian will look to make an impact off the bench yet again when his team comes to BMO Field.

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Match Details

Opponent: LA Galaxy

Kickoff time: 7:30 pm EST

Watch: TSN

Stadium: BMO Field, Toronto, Ont.