Toronto FC beats DC United 2-0 at BMO Field, claiming their second win of the 2025 MLS season. The team was scored upon by Lorenzo Insigne, who at long last scored his first goal in 2025, and on an own goal by Lucas Bartlett. The victory removes some pressure from the Canadian team, which has much to prove.
Insigne at last sheds the baggage
Italian foward Lorenzo Insigne finally left his imprint on this season. In the 49th minute, after a quick counterattack started by Theo Corbeanu down the left, Insigne was in a great position and headed the ball into the goal. It was his first goal of the 2025 MLS season and Corbeanu's first club assist.
The play itself was simple and effective. Toronto had just cleared a corner kick from a DC United corner. Corbeanu got away, gained some pace, and delivered a lovely cross for Insigne to finish cleanly. Signed as a headline European talent, he's still nowhere close to fulfilling his massive contract. Nobody questions his talent. But his on-field contribution still lags behind.
An Italian touch and an own goal which came about in error
Toronto's second scored in the 66th minute. Bernardeschi and Insigne danced on the left wing, with Insigne crossing, but it went tragically the way of Lucas Bartlett, DC United's defense, as the player tried clearing but instead volleyed the ball directly into his own goal.
It was a culmination of perseverance and teamwork. The switch started far from Toronto's half and developed with patience until space was created. Bernardeschi took part in the build-up, and Insigne completed it off — although the finishing touch did not belong to him.
Strong defense and an upright Johnson
Toronto's defense was also a strong point. The team recorded its fourth shutout of the season. Kevin Long was solid at the back, and goalkeeper Sean Johnson made an important intervention in the 85th minute to block a threatening shot from Christian Benteke.
DC United struggled to pose actual threats for much of the game. Toronto set the pace well, dominated the scoreboard, and kept their composure until the final whistle. It was that same coolness that was missing the last few weeks.
Toronto starts strong and nearly scores in the initial phases
Before they broke the deadlock, in fact, the Canadian side had more bite up front. Deybi Flores struck the post in the ninth minute with a missile from the edge of the box. Then a Bernardeschi shot sailed fractionally wide of the target. It was a vibrant opening that was crammed with pressure and actual chances.
A couple of minutes later, in the 24th, Insigne came close to scoring on the scoresheet after a nice move, but DC United's goalkeeper Luis Barraza came to the rescue. Ola Brynhildsen pounced on the rebound but sent it over the bar. Toronto was building the chances and seemed to be capable of making their lead bigger.
What does this game mean for Toronto?
With the win, Toronto FC is at 10 points, which puts them in 13th place. It's still not much, but maybe this is the start of a turn. The team needs to keep building on this and put together some positive results. The schedule is tight, and there are more challenging games ahead.
Now's not the moment for euphoria. Now's the time to ride the momentum and mend what's still ailing. Wins make things easier, but the margin of error remains perilously thin.