TFC Republic Weekly: April 28-May 4

Welcome to the latest edition of TFC Republic Weekly, an email newsletter that will land in the inbox of both paid subscribers and free members of TFC Republic every Monday.

This newsletter will look at what's in store over the next seven days for Toronto FC, and also get a glimpse of what to expect at TFC Republic in the coming days.

So, without further ado...

Toronto's unbeaten run snapped in loss to NYCFC

TFC saw their four-match unbeaten run come to an end courtesy of a 1-0 loss to New York City FC this past Saturday at BMO Field.  

Toronto (1-5-1) was riding high after registering its first win of the season the previous week but came crashing down to earth with a somewhat tame showing against New York (4-4-2) who had just one win in its previous five outings. There wasn't much that separated TFC and NYCFC in this one, with Alonso Martínez's goal from the penalty spot proving decisive. Still, this was a winnable game for TFC against a mediocre opponent, so it'll feel like a blown opportunity for the Reds.

"It was a game that I thought we could have won. And certainly, credit to New York, they came in tough conditions, windy day, and got out of here with the result. So, credit to them, but a disappointment for us, because I feel like it's a game that we could have gotten more out of," coach Robin Fraser said in the post-game press conference.

Midfielder Maxime Dominguez concurred: "I have a bad feeling [about] today, because we should [have won] the game."

TFC have now been shut out on four occasions this season (three times in the last five games) and continue to struggle in attack with just eight goals to their credit.  

Just as disturbing, TFC have taken just two points out of a possible 12 at home this year and haven't won at BMO Field since posting a 2-1 decision against Austin FC on Sept. 14, 2024. Since then, the Reds have gone winless in seven matches at home with five losses. Toronto has also gone 349 minutes without a goal at BMO Field, not since Deandre Kerr scored in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire on March 15.

No roster moves before the closure of the transfer window

GM Jason Hernandez ended up standing pat last week as he didn't make any roster moves before the closure of the MLS primary transfer window on April 23.

What that means is that TFC now have to wait until the league's secondary transfer window, which runs from July 24 to Aug. 21, to make a trade for a player with another MLS team or to sign players via transfers either from within the league or with teams from abroad. 

However, MLS clubs can still sign free agents and players who are out of contract, so it'll be interesting to see what additions, if any, Hernandez can make to Toronto's roster before the summer.

Kevin Long hasn't had contract talks with TFC

Veteran Irish centre back Kevin Long has been a welcomed additions to Toronto FC's roster, but whether he'll be back next season remains to be seen. Long is out of contract with the Reds at the end of this year and his current deal doesn't include an option clause. Long confirmed last week that there haven't been any talks with the club about extending him beyond the 2025 MLS campaign.  

"I've not really been focused on it, to be honest. I just want to continue playing games. I feel like I'm fresh. I've got a lot of time left in me, so I just want to carry on playing. And wherever that takes me, that takes me," Long said. 

Long has settled in nicely in Toronto both on the field with TFC and off the field with his fiancé. At the same time, he was non-committal when asked by TFC Republic if he'd like to remain at the MLS team. 

"That's obviously up to the club and going forward we'll probably be speaking at the end of the season," Long said. 

TFC vs. CF Montreal on Wednesday   

TFC returns to action when it hosts CF Montreal in the first round of the Canadian Championship on Wednesday (7:00 p.m. ET/OneSoccer). 

The winner of that game advances to the two-legged quarter-finals where it will face the winner of the first-round match between Forge FC and Halifax Wanderers. 

Toronto has won the Canadian Championship a record eight times, followed by Montreal (five). But Vancouver has won three in a row (four total) and defeated Toronto in last year's final. 

The winner of the 2025 Canadian Championship qualifies for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, thus receiving a chance to advance for the 2027 FIFA Club World Cup. 

Fifteen teams will be involved in this year's Canadian Championship, making it the biggest competition in the history of the tournament. League1 Alberta is represented for the first time by inaugural champions Edmonton Scottish United, while League1 Ontario champions Scrosoppi FC (from Milton, Ont.) are also making their debut. 

TFC vs. New England Revolution on Saturday   

After its midweek Voyageurs Cup match, Toronto FC resumes its MLS campaign when it hosts the New England Revolution on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET/Apple TV & TSN).       

New England (4-4-1) sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, four spots and six points above Toronto in the table.  

The Revolution are riding a three-game winning streak, which includes a 1-0 decision away to Charlotte FC last weekend. Carles Gil scored his fourth goal of the season in the 77th minute to propel New England to its second consecutive road victory. New England has recorded three straight shutouts and has gone 295 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. 

“We’re over the moon. We just beat the team that’s top of the East, a team that’s putting up gaudy numbers of goals against teams, a team that has scored a lot of goals in the second half. And we shut them down," coach Caleb Porter said after the win over Charlotte. 

New England leads the all-time MLS regular season series against Toronto with 16 wins and 13 draws in 41 matches. 

These teams will meet again on September 13 at Gillette Stadium. 

RELATED READING: Newsletter || Features || Match reports || Opinion || Q&As || Videos || News || Transactions || TFC 2 ||

Stories to look out for at TFC Republic 

Toronto FC have seven games on its schedule next month (six at home) for an average of one match every 4.4 days. It's a grueling stretch for a team that has been dealing with a rash of injuries and that's still finding its feet under new coach Robin Fraser. TFC have just one win under their belt and currently sit in second-last place in the Eastern Conference, which means the month of May could make or break their season. Look for my feature story on the importance of next month in the coming days.

Other stories that will be published later this week include:         

• In-depth pre- and post-game coverage of Toronto's match vs. Montreal.  
• A new audio interview piece with Elias Grigoriadis of the Canadian Press ahead of Wednesday's game vs. Montreal.  
• In-depth pre- and post-game coverage of Toronto's match vs. New York England.  
• A new audio interview piece with Seth Macomber of The Blazing Musket ahead of Saturday's game vs. New York.  
• A new TFC Random Thoughts column. 
• A new TFC Talk interview with beat reporter James Grossi.     
• Regular "TFC Tidbits" stories throughout the week.   
• The weekly TFC 2 report. 
• The reader mailbag.
• And much more! 

TFC Republic mailbag

TFC Republic will feature a regular reader mailbag column where I answer questions from subscribers about Toronto FC and Canadian soccer in general.

I'll answer the best questions submitted to me by TFC Republic readers, so feel free to drop me an email at jmo1897@gmail.com. You can also reach out to me via Twitter.

(Top photo courtesy of Lucas Kschischang/Toronto FC)

TFC Republic has a comments section! At the very bottom of every story, there is a feature where you can post your comments, so be sure to share your thoughts and views.