Toronto FC’s woes switch from defending to scoring goals

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Earlier in the 2022 MLS season, Toronto FC had trouble stopping the opposition from scoring goals.

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Now, as injuries add up, the Reds are having an even more difficult time scoring goals.

TFC has not scored a goal in the club’s past three games, which included back-to-back last-minute 1-0 losses to the Vancouver Whitecaps and Orlando City. Since scoring four goals in a wild 5-4 loss at New York City FC on April 24, the Reds have managed one over the next four games heading into this Saturday’s match at DC United and is on a five-game losing slide.

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Of course, missing a number of key attacking players doesn’t help. Alejandro Pozuelo, the 2020 MLS MVP, missed the game against Orlando with a lower body injury while midfielder Jonathan Osorio has not played since May 4 at FC Cincinnati.

Returning forward Ayo Akinola may just be the offensive weapon TFC needs. Akinola, 22, has played in four games as a substitute since returning from knee surgery on April 30 against FC Cincinnati. The Brampton native, who was the co-leader in goals for TFC in 2020 (nine in 15 games), hasn’t scored since July 3 of last season and TFC coach Bob Bradley knows that a goal would do wonders for the Canadian onternational’s confidence. He had a number of decent chances in Toronto’s 2-1 loss against Orlando on Saturday.

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Bradley thinks Akinola is getting close to finding his scoring touch.

“He needs games. You know, 45 minutes pushes him today,” Bradley said after the Orlando match. “That’s good to see him get to that number of minutes (45). He needs more game time. He needs to get back in the swing of things where, you know, your fitness, your sharpness in certain situations keep getting better.”

INSIGNE THE KING OF GREEN

The MLS Players Association released its salary list this week and incoming TFC winger Lorenzo Insigne will leave MLS’ highest paid players in the dust.

Insigne, who will join the Reds on July 1 (probably along with Genoa left back Domenico Criscito), will make a reported $8-$15 million per season over the four-year contract. The exact number has not been made official, but even if Insigne’s salary is the lower end of that number, he’ll be the highest-paid player in MLS — and the highest-compensated player all-time once the deal runs its course.

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According to the MLSPA, Chicago Fire midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri is the league’s highest-paid player right now at $8.2 million in guaranteed compensation. Former LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic had the previous high of $7.2 million in 2019.

Pozuelo ranks No. 4 on the salary guide at $4.69 million.

TFC is still responsible for a portion of Jozy Altidore’s $4.2 million annual salary through 2023 though he is with the Revolution. With the Revs this season, the injury-prone Altidore, who is the fifth-highest player in MLS, has made nine appearances, with two starts, for New England and has one goal.

In total (not including Altidore) there are five TFC players making more than a million per season: Defenders Carlos Salcedo ($2.4 million) and Chris Mavinga ($1 million), midfielders Michael Bradley ($1.5 million) and Osorio ($1 million), as well as Pozuelo.

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The best bargain for TFC is new forward Jesus Jimenez ($934,927). The Spanish striker is tied for second in league scoring with seven.

The Reds are dealing with a multitude of injuries (including Pozuelo and Osorio) and have lost five straight heading into this Saturday’s match at DC United. TFC sits one point out of the MLS Eastern Conference basement with 11 points in 12 games.

Not including Insigne’s salary, TFC is fifth from the top in overall guaranteed compensation as a team at $15.21 million.

Insigne bid an emotional farewell to the Napoli fans (his last home game) on Sunday as Gli Azzurri defeated Genoa 3-0, where the Toronto-bound Italian star scored a goal via a penalty kick. Napoli has one more Serie A match at Spezia this Sunday.

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According to a TFC source, the 30-year-old Insigne will remain in Italy until June 14, then take a short vacation before coming to Toronto.

The 3-0 victory over Genoa means Napoli secured third place in Serie A, an improvement from their fifth-place finish last season. As a result, Napoli have booked a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

Through 36 matches in all competitions this season, Insigne has scored 11 goals (nine in Serie A), and added 10 assists (nine in Serie A). He twice won the Coppa Italia with Napoli and came close to the Serie A title on multiple occasions.

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti was effusive in praise for his departing star, telling DAZN: “Lorenzo is part of that group of players who can create a solution from out of anything, he’s a magician of a footballer. He’s like (Roberto) Baggio, (Alessandro) Del Piero and (Francesco) Totti.

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“I’ve been regretting Lorenzo’s departure since the club informed me that he’s leaving,” Spalletti added. “Obviously we have to accept his decision and find a replacement with the same quality. Every manager would want someone like Insigne in their team.”

SEATS ADDED FOR FINAL

Forge FC will be opening the west stands of Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton behind the team benches for the 2020 Canadian Championship final on June 4 between TFC and host Forge, due to a high demand for tickets. The match, originally postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will decide the winner of the 2020 Voyageurs Cup and will mark the first time the two Ontario clubs will compete in a professional competition.