Whitecaps steal victory over Toronto FC in final minute of play

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Toronto FC had its heart ripped out at BC Place on Sunday afternoon.

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The Reds played a solid match with a severely depleted roster against host Vancouver but came away with an agonizing 1-0 loss to the Whitecaps on a last-minute goal scored by former TFC player Tosaint Ricketts, with an assist going to Toronto native Lucas Cavallini . Both were late-game substitutions.

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Losing in the last minute on the road is tough, but losing after having a seemingly good goal called back a few minutes earlier is the sour cherry on top. Add that to the fact that Toronto midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo missed a penalty kick in the first half and the TFC crew were not happy campers leaving BC

Jayden Nelson, one of TFC’s outstanding teenage prospects, scored mid-way through the second half to put TFC ahead 1-0, but the goal was called back by referee Victor Rivas who claimed that Vancouver ‘keeper Thomas Hasal had control of the ball when Nelson kicked it, when it appeared he did not. Rivas went to the VAR (video assistant referee) to check the goal but his decision was not overturned.

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After the match, TFC coach Bob Bradley got in the face of the officiating crew.

“It’s a mistake,” said Bradley of the call. “Obviously when you have VAR, that’s on the VAR to see it. Everybody that saw it realizes that Hasal never had control. I think they say he might have broken or dislocated his finger from him (on the play). That’s too bad. I don’t know exactly, but that might have been on the shot as the ball came loose. I never had control. It’s a good goal. You can have a (VAR) system but if the person responsible in the moment can’t see that, then the system doesn’t work.

“We’ll see what PRO (Professional Referee Organization) has to say about it, but for me it’s a clear mistake,” Bradley added.

TFC held a 55%-45% edge in possession, though the Whitecaps fired 15 shots to nine by Toronto, including six on goal. TFC directed four shots on target.

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TFC felt hard done by with loss, the club’s fourth in a row. It was the Reds third game in a week, and second on the road, played against a rested Vancouver squad. Despite that, the game was pretty even. The win by the Whitecaps snapped a three-game losing streak.

“I feel bad for the group,” Bradley said. “A lot of guys put a big effort out there today and to come away with nothing, and then some of the different calls, yeah I feel bad for these guys. (It’s) a reminder that sometimes (the game) is unfair and we have to keep a positive way, we’ve got to keep fighting together. If we stick together and do the right things, we’ll get through it.

“I’m really disappointed in the players. I believe this team has it in them to get better.”

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TFC, now 3-6-2, has given up 22 goals in 11 matches this season, the second-most in the league after San Jose, and have now gone 14 straight games on the road without a win (D4 L10), going back to last season.

“There were chances to win the game, but it’s just so frustrating to give up a late goal like that. In those moments, myself included, we just got to raise our level just a little bit, because that was a winnable game,” TFC center back Shane O’Neill said. “Obviously the last week has been challenging. It’s a challenge of everyone’s collective spirit and our togetherness and how much belief that we got. I felt today we took a step in the right direction.”

TFC’s training base looks like a MASH unit these days. For Sunday’s match, the Reds were missing midfielders Jonathan Osorio (lower leg injury), Ralph Priso (red card suspension) and Noble Okello (lower body), fullbacks Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Jacob Shaffelburg (lower body injuries), defenders Chris Mavinga ( lower body) and Carlos Salcedo (COVID protocol list) and forward Ifunanyachi Achara (COVID protocol list).

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TFC dominated possession in the early going, but it was the Whitecaps who had the best chance as TFC ‘keeper Alex Bono made a good diving save on Vancouver forward Déiber Caicedo in the sixth minute.

TFC had a great chance to take the lead when Rivas awarded the visitors a penalty kick in the 32nd minute after a VAR review, the call being a handball by Vancouver defender Ranko Veselinovic in the box.

Pozuelo, normally lights-out on PK’s, guided the ball towards the lower bottom-right corner without much mustard on the shot and Hasal, a native of Cambridge, Ont., made the save.

Shortly after, Bono made a second good save in the half, this time on Brian White.

Just before the end of the half, TFC had a second great chance to score when Pozuelo fed Nelson a great pass just outside the middle of the box and the Brampton native right-footed the shot over the net.

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The home side nearly drew first blood in the first minute of the second half when Cristian Dájome left-footed a shot over the goal from close in.

TFC’s ill-fated goal came after Kosi Thompson made a nice pass to Pozuelo into the box and the Spaniard right-footed it on goal, forcing Hasal to make a good save. On the rebound, Nelson tapped it in, though Rivas ruled that Hasal had control of the ball, though it appeared he did not.

Hasal was forced to leave the game with a hand injury on the play and was replaced by Cody Cropper, who subsequently made a great leaping save on a header by Toronto’s Jordan Perruzza.

In the match, Paul Rothrock made his debut for the Reds, who next host Orlando City on Saturday at BMO Field.