Toronto FC defeats 10-man Real Salt Lake 1-0 for first win of MLS season

Toronto FC Theo Corbeanu (7) in action during the first half of an MLS soccer match against D.C. United, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

SANDY — Toronto FC finally got a reward for its efforts Saturday, defeating 10-man Real Salt Lake 1-0 for its first win of the season.

Theo Corbeanu’s first Major League Soccer goal also gave Toronto its first victory in Utah since July 2007.

Toronto (1-4-4) had gone 0-8-5 since its last league victory, a 2-1 decision over visiting Austin FC on Sept. 14. It had not won away from home in some eight months, going 0-4-3 since a 1-0 decision at Houston on Aug. 24.

But TFC had shown signs that a victory was coming with consecutive draws against high-flying Vancouver, Miami and Minnesota, whose combined league record was 14-2-7 going into weekend play.

“I think the team feels a huge sigh of relief and a good deal of pride,” said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. “The game was not pretty and sometimes you have to win those games.”

After conceding 12 goals in its first five games, Toronto has given up just one in the last four.

“These past couple of games, this is our team,” said Corbeanu.

“It just speaks to the level of commitment engagement that the players are now playing with,” added Fraser.

Real Salt Lake controlled play and did most of the attacking in the first half but still went into the break down 1-0. Toronto defended well and scored an early opportunistic goal.

Salt Lake kept coming forward even after losing star attacker Diego Luna to a straight red for violent conduct in the 61st minute. The home side outshot Toronto 23-2 (6-1 in shots on target) and had 61.3 per cent possession.

CF Montreal (0-6-3) and, surprisingly, the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy (0-6-3) are the only MLS teams yet to win this season.

Salt Lake (3-6-0) has lost four of its last five including a 2-1 decision at Nashville SC last week after conceding a 91st-minute penalty.

“I think the last two weeks we’ve been battling more than just the players on the field, it feels like,” said Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni. “Those calls haven’t been going our way.”

Still his team had the upper hand for much of Saturday.

RSL had 59.5 per cent possession in the first 45 minutes, outshooting Toronto 9-1 (2-1 in shots on target). Salt Lake, which had scored just eight goals in its first eight league matches, continued to attack in the second half but lacked clinical finishing. And when the home side did hit the target, Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson was up to the task.

Corbeanu opened his MLS account in the ninth minute, taking advantage of a heavy touch by defender Bode Hidalgo. The Toronto winger pounced on the ball, shifted it to his right to find space for a shot and beat diving goalkeeper Rafael Cabral to the corner.

The 22-year-old from Burlington, Ont., marked the occasion with Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademark goal celebration.

TFC had held the lead just twice in the previous eight games — for a grand total of 22 minutes.

Salt Lake had eight corners before Toronto got its first in the 60th minute. That corner led to Luna’s red card after he and Toronto defender Raoul Petretta got tangled up as they battled for position. Both went down and Luna was sent off for kicking out at Petretta as he got up.

The red card survived video review. Petretta received a yellow card for his part.

Luna, a 21-year-old U.S. international, had three goals and an assist in his previous four games.

Referee Sergii Demianchuk handed out seven yellow cards in addition to the red, with five going to Toronto and two to Salt Lake.

Toronto came into the contest with a dismal 1-8-2 record at Salt Lake in league play and had not won in Utah since its first visit there in its first year in the league. TFC had never won at America First Field with its lone victory coming at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the University of Utah venue that used to be RSL’s home.

Fraser fielded a rare unchanged starting 11. That might have been out of necessity with defenders Richie Laryea, Zane Monlouis, Nicksoen Gomis and Henry Wingo and forward Deandre Kerr still out injured.

Norwegian forward Ola Brynhildsen came in off the bench in the 72nd minute after a one-game injury absence.

Rookie Jesus Barea made his first MLS start for Real Salt Lake in the only change to its starting 11. The 22-year-old Spaniard was taken in the first round (19th overall) of the December MLS SuperDraft out of Missouri State.

The trip to Utah marked a return for Fraser, a former Real Salt Lake assistant coach and member of Jason Kreis’ 2009 MLS Cup championship staff.

Mastroeni is still looking for his 100th coaching win. The former U.S. international’s record now stands at 99-110-74 across all competitions including his time in charge of the Colorado Rapids from 2014-17.

UP NEXT

Toronto FC: Hosts New York City FC on Saturday, April 26.

RSL: Visits expansion San Diego FC on Saturday, April 26.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2025.

The Canadian Press