FC Cincinnati were left to rue a frustrating Sunday evening at TQL Stadium as Toronto FC snatched a dramatic late winner in Cincinnati, Ohio. A cagey, hard-fought MLS fixture looked destined for a goalless draw until Dániel Sallói had other ideas, breaking the deadlock in the 85th minute to hand the visitors all three points in front of 25,513 supporters.
A Cautious First Half
The opening 45 minutes offered very little in the way of cutting edge, with both sides content to probe and press without truly threatening the opposition goal. Cincinnati, enjoying a 57% share of possession, were the dominant force in terms of territory, but struggled to convert that control into clear-cut chances. The clearest moment of note in the first half came off the pitch rather than on it, as FC Cincinnati’s Ender Echenique picked up a yellow card in the 16th minute, a booking that would force him to be disciplined for the remainder of the contest.
Toronto’s Benjamín Kuscevic was also cautioned at the 25-minute mark, ensuring that both sides would need to tread carefully as the match progressed. At the break, the scoreboard read 0-0 — a reflection of two sides reluctant to leave themselves exposed.
A Tense Second Half Builds Toward the Decisive Moment
The second period followed a similar pattern, with Cincinnati continuing to enjoy the lion’s share of possession while Toronto looked to hit on the counter. The tension on the pitch was palpable, and it began to manifest in the yellow card column once more. José Cifuentes of Toronto received a booking in the 73rd minute, followed shortly after by Cincinnati’s Nick Hagglund in the 81st — the match increasingly on a knife’s edge with tempers beginning to fray.
Despite Cincinnati registering 14 shots across the 90 minutes — including eight corners won and two efforts on target — it was the away side who proved more clinical when it mattered. With 11 shots of their own and five on target, Toronto were resolute at the back and dangerous on the break.
Sallói Seals It in Stunning Fashion
With five minutes remaining and the match seemingly drifting toward a stalemate, Dániel Sallói produced the defining moment of the evening. The Hungarian forward found the net in the 85th minute, silencing the TQL Stadium crowd and sending the Toronto FC travelling contingent into raptures. It was a goal that epitomised the ruthless efficiency Toronto had displayed all night — absorbing pressure, staying compact, and punishing the home side when the opportunity finally arrived.
The match went into eight minutes of stoppage time, but Cincinnati could not find an equaliser, and the referee’s final whistle confirmed a 1-0 victory for the visitors.
What This Means in the Standings
The result moves both clubs to 1-0-2 records in MLS play this season, though it is Toronto who will travel home buoyed by three crucial away points. For FC Cincinnati and their manager, the questions will centre on why a side dominating possession could not convert 14 shots — particularly just two on target — into at least an equaliser. The home side’s recent form of three wins, two losses suggested resilience, but on this occasion, they were undone by a single moment of quality they could not match.
Toronto FC, meanwhile, will take enormous confidence from grinding out a result on the road. Sallói’s late intervention was the difference, and on a night when very little separated the two sides, it proved to be everything.
FC Cincinnati 0–1 Toronto FC
Goal: Dániel Sallói (85′) — Toronto FC
