Toronto FC rallies past Rapids 3-2 behind Sargent’s late winner

Toronto FC overturned a two-goal second-half deficit to defeat the Colorado Rapids 3-2 on Saturday at BMO Field, with Josh Sargent scoring his first MLS goal to complete the comeback.

The result moves Toronto to 3-2-1 on the season with 10 points and extends the club’s home unbeaten streak to 10 matches, dating back to June 2025.

The match shifted dramatically after halftime. Playing down a man following Raheem Edwards’ red card early in the second half, Toronto conceded twice in quick succession. Paxten Aaronson opened the scoring in the 51st minute, beating goalkeeper Luka Gavran low to his right, before Keegan Rosenberry added a second just three minutes later to give Colorado a 2-0 lead.

At that stage, the Rapids appeared in control despite having been reduced to 10 men earlier in the match when Jackson Travis was sent off in the 34th minute.

Instead, the game turned into a sequence of rapid momentum swings.

“It was actually quite surreal,” head coach Robin Fraser said. “It’s a horrible place to be, but I think we got even more engaged and more intense at that point.”

Toronto’s response began in the 65th minute through Richie Laryea, who cut the deficit in half with a strike from a tight angle that found the top corner. Whether intended as a shot or cross, the finish shifted the energy inside BMO Field and put the home side back within reach.

From there, discipline issues continued to shape the match. Colorado’s Miguel Navarro was sent off in the 74th minute after receiving a second yellow card, bringing both teams down to 10 players.

Three minutes later, the equalizer arrived in unexpected fashion.

With the Rapids leading 2-1, Rosenberry attempted to reset possession by playing the ball back toward goalkeeper Zack Steffen. The pass appeared routine, but Steffen misjudged the bounce and allowed the ball to roll past him into the net, leveling the match at 2-2 in the 77th minute.

“I was a bit like, ‘OK, what just happened?’” Sargent said. “We definitely got a boost of energy from that.”

Toronto capitalized on that momentum in the closing stages. In the 85th minute, Alonso Coello delivered a cross into the box that Sargent met with a header, scoring the winner and marking his first goal since joining the club from Norwich City in February.

“Big relief,” Sargent said. “It’s been a while since I’ve scored. I would have been upset if I didn’t get one today.”

Sargent also registered an assist earlier in the match, contributing directly to two of Toronto’s three goals in his most complete performance since arriving. He played 90 minutes before being substituted late, having seen limited minutes in his first two appearances.

“Josh is good at everything you need a forward to be good at,” Fraser said. “We’ve seen bits and pieces, and now we’re starting to see more with more minutes.”

The match featured multiple disciplinary moments and key absences. Toronto’s Walker Zimmerman was forced off in the 56th minute due to calf tightness, while Djordje Mihailovic did not feature against his former club due to a pelvis injury.

Colorado also managed the match without Toronto native Kosi Thompson, who was recently traded to the Rapids but did not appear.

Despite the setbacks, Toronto found a way to control the closing phase of the game. The midfield pairing of José Cifuentes and Coello contributed their first assists of the season, while Matheus Pereira made his club debut as a second-half substitute.

The win extends Toronto’s current points streak to four matches and reinforces its strong home form as the club continues a stretch of nine consecutive games at BMO Field.