MLS roundup: Toronto FC qualifies for playoffs after draw with Philadelphia
70th-minute goal earns a point for TFC
Toronto FC has secured a spot in the playoffs after the New York Red Bulls defeated the Montreal Impact.
Justin Morrow's goal in the 70th minute salvaged a point for Toronto as it came from behind to pick up a 1-1 draw with the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night in Major League Soccer action.
It was the team's second home game in a row that the visitors scored first. Last week, Toronto twice trailed by two goals before coming back to pick up a 3-3 draw with the New York Red Bulls.
"The first half was horrible because as we get closer to the post-season we can't start like that," said forward Jozy Altidore.
"But even with the start the past two games we've had the chance to be solo holders of first place so it was another big game for us."
Toronto is tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with New York City FC but hold a game in hand and has four games left in the regular season.
Morrow made a run from his usual left back position and was the beneficiary of some good work from Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who had won some space with some skill in possession. Osorio laid the ball off to Morrow, who scored on a tight-angle shot for his fourth of the season for Toronto (13-8-9).
"On that particular instance, [Osorio] did a great job of getting inside of their defence and was able to hold up the ball long enough that [Morrow] could build some speed into the attack and finish it," said head coach Greg Vanney, who's see his defenders chip in with an impressive eight goals this season.
"That's been pretty reminiscent of [Morrow's] goals this year."
10-man Whitecaps draw with Rapids
Erik Hurtado scored in second half stoppage time as the 10-man Vancouver Whitecaps salvaged a 3-3 draw with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Shkelzen Gashi buried a stunning free kick after earlier converting to put Colorado ahead 3-2 midway through the second half.
After the Whitecaps had fought back to tie the game 2-2 despite being down a player in the 70th minute on Pedro Morales' seventh goal of the season, Gashi curled a shot from 30 yards out over the Vancouver wall and past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper David Ousted in the 75th.
Gashi cooly sent Ousted the wrong way from the spot in the 57th minute to make it 2-1 after Vancouver defender Kendall Waston was shown a red card for bringing Rapids striker Badji down on a breakaway.
Badji scored in the first half for Colorado (12-5-12), while Waston tied it at 1-1 for Vancouver (9-14-8) five minutes before being sent off.
The Whitecaps have just one victory over their last 11 games in Major League Soccer (1-6-4) and likely needed to run the table over their four remaining league games to have any shot at the playoffs. While not yet mathematically eliminated, the situation is bleak after starting the day six points back of the final post-season berth in the Western Conference.
The Rapids, meanwhile, are just 1-2-4 in their last seven games as they continue to fight for tops in the overall standings.
Impact loss sends Red Bulls to playoffs
Daniel Royer scored his first MLS goal in the 60th minute and the New York Red Bulls clinched a playoff berth for the seventh straight year with a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact on Saturday night.
Royer headed down Chris Duvall's cross, bouncing it into the right corner. The Austrian international joined New York (13-9-9) on Aug. 3.
Bradley Wright-Phillips' six-game scoring streak came to an end, but the Red Bulls took a share of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, tied at 48 points with Toronto FC and New York City FC.
Red Bulls captain Dax McCarty returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a small tibial plateau fracture in New York's 2-2 draw at Chicago on July 31.
New York extended its club-record unbeaten streak to 13 games. Montreal (9-10-11) remained fifth in the East.