By Canadian Press

Toronto FC picks up rare point in scoreless draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps

Mar 29, 2025 | 1:52 PM

TORONTO — Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps played to a scoreless draw Saturday in an MLS game that was as drab as the weather until the final minutes.

The point will be welcome for Toronto, which had lost four straight. So will the clean sheet after conceding a league-worst 12 goals in its first five games.

The Whitecaps will rue lack of accuracy in their offence. The visitors also found themselves under duress late in the game as Toronto came forward.

Toronto ‘keeper Sean Johnson made a big save in the 88th minute to deny Ranko Veselinović off a corner to preserve the draw. At the other end, Ola Brynhildsen came close in stoppage time and Vancouver survived some dicey moments in front of goal.

Vancouver (4-1-1) has collected 13 of a possible 18 points early in the MLS season while Toronto (0-4-2) has just two.

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The Whitecaps arrived atop the Western Conference and second in the Supporters’ Shield standings, 11 points and 27 places above winless Toronto.

The only team below Toronto was CF Montreal, which fired coach Laurent Courtois on Monday. And that was due to an inferior goal difference of just one.

It was a chilly two degrees, feeling like minus-two, with rain falling for the early afternoon kickoff at BMO Field. There was also a freezing rain warning in effect.

The poor weather and poor start to the season combined to leave a range of empty seats at the stadium. Attendance was announced at 22,301.

Vancouver threatened early from set pieces with Toronto defender Raoul Petretta having to clear a Brian White header off the goal-line from a Sebastian Berhalter corner in the 11th minute.

Johnson stopped Tate Johnson late in the half when the Vancouver left back was allowed to slice into the Toronto penalty box.

Vancouver outshot Toronto 8-1 (2-0 in shots on target) in a scrappy first half short on entertainment.

Deandre Kerr and Henry Wingo both went down at the same time early in the second half with Brynhildsen and Kosi Thompson replacing them in the 53rd minute.

Vancouver’s Andres Cubas came off in the 60th minute after an awkward fall.

Vancouver was not happy about a Federico Bernardeschi challenge that drew a yellow card for the Italian in the 65th minute. Soon after Johnson stopped substitute Emmanuel Sabbi’s shot from another Whitecaps corner.

Brynhildsen went down just outside the Vancouver penalty box after a solo rush in the 72nd minute, with no foul call much to the ire of the Toronto fans.

It was a quiet day at the office for Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka until the 82d minute when he had to stop a Deybi Flores header off a Lorenzo Insigne free kick.

Toronto was missing the injured Richie Laryea, Kevin Long and Matty Longstaff.

Toronto coach Robin Fraser made four changes to his starting lineup with Sigurd Rosted, Jonathan Osorio, Derrick Etienne Jr. and Kerr slotting in. There was another start for Insigne, who was left out of the lineup for the first four games of the season.

Insigne started up front with Kerr.

Vancouver, without injured captain Ryan Gauld and defenders Sam Adekugbe and Bjorn Inge Utvik, made five changes with White and Ali Ahmed returning to lead the attack alongside former Toronto player Jayden Nelson.

The Whitecaps were coming off a 3-1 loss to visiting Chicago, after wins over Portland Timbers, Los Angeles Galaxy, Montreal and FC Dallas.

Toronto lost 2-1 to the New York Red Bulls late time out, adding to defeats by Orlando City, FC Cincinnati and Chicago.

The Whitecaps held an 8-6-3 career edge against Toronto but were 3-4-2 at BMO Field. Vancouver was unbeaten in the team’s seven previous meetings (4-0-3) in all competitions, with TFC’s last win a 1-0 decision at home in August 2020.

The Whitecaps defeated Toronto via a penalty shootout the last time they met, Sept. 25 in the Canadian Championship final at B.C. Place Stadium. Vancouver won 4-0 in the last MLS meeting in April 2024, also at B.C. Place.

Earlier Saturday, TFC announced it was loaning 20-year-old forward Hugo Mbongue to Lexington SC of the United Soccer League (USL) Championship for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Saturday’s game was the first of five in 15 days for Vancouver, which hosts Mexico’s Pumas UNAM on Wednesday in the opening leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup play quarterfinal. Toronto visits Inter Miami on April 6.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2025.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press