Having conceded six goals in its first two games this season, Toronto FC looks to tighten up its defence Saturday when it visits FC Cincinnati.
It could be a tall order against a Cincinnati side bristling with offensive weapons.
"You look at the players they have. I have no idea how much money they've spent over the last couple of years," mused Toronto coach Robin Fraser.
That could be construed as rich coming from a team that is currently sitting out Italian star Lorenzo Insigne, whose $15.4-million salary (all figures in U.S. dollars) was second only to Miami's Lionel Messi in MLS last season. But the Cincinnati cupboard is undeniably full — even after trading 2023 MVP Luciano Acosta to FC Dallas.
(Cincinnati ranked sixth in the league in total payroll last season at $20.95 million, according to The Associated Press. Toronto was second at $31.81 million, behind only Miami's $41.71 million.)
Injuries have not helped Toronto's cause. According to the league's official injury report, defenders Richie Laryea, Raoul Petretta, Sigurd Rosted and Henry Wingo are all out with lower body injuries.
Cincinnati (1-1-0) has added Togo international Kevin Denkey, who led the top-flight Belgian league with 34 goals over the last two seasons with Cercle Brugge. And it paid Portland $12 million last month to acquire Brazilian playmaker Evander.
They join a strike force that already includes Argentine forward Luca Orellano, a designated player who returned from injury against visiting Tigres in a 1-1 draw Tuesday in CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 play.
Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan also can look for offence from Japanese international Yuya Kubo, Nigerian designated player Obinna Nwobodo and Czech midfielder Pavel Bucha.
Cincinnati's starting lineup against Tigres featured two designated players, one Under-22 Initiative player and seven others on targeted allocation money — an MLS salary cap contrivance designed to help teams bring in top talent outside the DP ranks (TAM players have to earn more than $743,750 and less than $1.74 million in 2025).
"It seems like a team that is very, very well stacked and equipped," said Fraser. "What do I expect? I expect a really good team. And they have athleticism all over the place. They have power, size, guile … There's a reason they've done so well the last number of years."
Toronto, which opened the season with a 2-2 draw at D.C. United, is coming off a 4-2 loss at Orlando. The six goals conceded are the most in the league, with Chicago, Houston and Orlando also having conceded a half-dozen.
It pains Fraser, a former two-time MLS Defender of the Year.
"I thought our decisions defensively last week were extremely poor," he said. "And as a result we have given up too many chances and too many opportunities. So we've worked this week at tightening some things up."
In his first season at the helm, Fraser has the team playing essentially a 5-3-2 formation when the opposition is in possession, morphing into a fluid 4-3-1-2 when Toronto gets the ball back.
He believes his attackers can switch positions and be effective.
"But all with the recognition that when the ball is lost we have certain jobs to do. And wherever you are when the ball is lost, you have to do the role of that particular player."
It remains a work in progress despite "countless hours of video." Opposing players have found wide swaths of unprotected ground in front of them, making for an easy assault on the Toronto goal.
"Against D.C. I thought we were very solid," said Fraser. "I thought for the first 30 minutes against Orlando we were pretty solid. But then when it goes awry, it goes awry … We've had lapses in both games that have led to goals."
On the plus side for Toronto, Cincinnati is dealing with a congested schedule — eight games in 24 days. After Saturday, Game 5 in that run, Cincinnati heads to Monterrey for Tuesday's rematch with Tigres.
Tuesday's draw with the Mexican side was an improvement over Saturday's 4-1 league loss at Philadelphia.
"The response was good," Noonan said of the Tigres game. "We performed well. I think the disappointment … was not converting some of our chances to go into the second leg with the lead. And I think the (penalty) box defending needs to improve. We discussed that as a group because that's been an area — our defending — that has led to us conceding goals."
Noonan is also looking for an improved record at TQL Stadium. Cincinnati went 13-2-2 at home in 2023 when it won the Supporters Shield. Last year, that dropped to 7-7-3.
"We weren't good enough at home last year. We all understand that … We need to be more dominant with our home performances and results," he said.
Noonan said Evander is "day to day" due to a bone bruise from a knee to the back in the Tigres game
"The hope is that he'll be available for Saturday but we'll give him as much recovery as need be."
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
