Toronto FC (1W-4L-4T, 7 points) picked up their first win of the 2025 MLS season with a hard-fought 1-0 road victory against Real Salt Lake (3W-6L-0T, 9 points) at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, courtesy of Theo Corbeanu’s ninth-minute goal on Saturday night.
Toronto FC Head Coach Robin Fraser named an unchanged starting eleven from the side that earned a point against at BMO Field last weekend.
The Reds made a quick start in the Beehive State and opened the scoring within the opening first ten minutes of play. Canadian winger Theo Corbeanu cleverly dispossessed Real Salt Lake defender Bode Hidalgo after a heavy touch and unleashed a powerful right-footed shot past goalkeeper Rafael Cabral to give his side the one-goal lead.
The ninth minute strike marked the TFC Academy product’s first goal for Toronto FC since joining in January.
Looking to draw level, Real Salt Lake tested Toronto’s resolve with a couple of long-range efforts in the opening half. First, Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson was on hand to deny Dominik Marczuk in the 24th minute, before making an outstretched save off Braian Ojeda seven minutes later.
Fifteen minutes into the restart, the Claret and Cobalt were reduced to 10 men when a red card was shown to reigning MLS Young Player of the Year Diego Luna for violent conduct on Toronto’s Raoul Petretta.
TFC shot-stopper Sean Johnson continued his fine start to the campaign and completed another pair of impressive saves in quick succession to keep Salt Lake’s Alexandros Katranis and Braian Ojeda off the scoresheet in the 70th minute.
Toronto’s rearguard remained firm and watertight for the rest of the encounter, repelling waves of pressure from the hosts and ultimately securing the one-goal victory and clean sheet on the road.
Toronto FC host New York City FC next on Saturday, April 26. Kick-off from BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario is set for 2:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and on TSN1/3 in Canada.
LINEUPS
REAL SALT LAKE – Rafael Cabral; Bode Hidalgo (Zavier Gozo 75’), Justen Glad, Brayan Vera, Alexandros Katranis; Emeka Eneli (C), Braian Ojeda (Sam Junqua 75’), Dominik Marczuk (Ariath Piol 66’), Diego Luna, Diogo Gonçalves; Jesus Barea (Tyler Wolff 90+1’)
Substitutes Not Used: Mason Stajduhar, Philip Quinton, Nelson Palacio, Noel Caliskan, Lachlan Brook
TORONTO FC – Sean Johnson; Kosi Thompson, Kevin Long, Sigurd Rosted, Raoul Petretta; Deybi Flores Alonso Coello 87’), Jonathan Osorio (C) (Matty Longstaff 87’), Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Insigne (Maxime Dominguez 58’), Theo Corbeanu (Tyrese Spicer 58’); Derrick Etienne Jr. (Ola Brynhildsen 72’)
Substitutes Not Used: Luka Gavran, Kobe Franklin, Lazar Stefanovic, Markus Cimermancic
MEDIA NOTES:
- Theo Corbeanu scored his first MLS and Toronto FC goal.
- TFC kept their third clean sheet of the 2025 Major League Soccer season.
- Robin Fraser recorded his first victory as Head Coach of Toronto FC.
- The Reds recorded a road victory against Real Salt Lake for the first time since a 2-1 win at Rice-Eccles Stadium on July 4, 2007.
