Toronto FC and Austin FC played out one of the wildest Major League Soccer fixtures of the weekend on Saturday at BMO Field, finishing level at 3-3 after a second half that lurched dramatically from one side to the other.

Austin struck first through Jon Bell in the 29th minute and took a firmer grip on the contest when Dániel Sallói doubled the visitors’ advantage in the 52nd minute. When Richie Laryea pulled one back for Toronto in the 67th minute, the hosts suddenly had life, and the momentum shift became unmistakable as Facundo Torres equalized in the 78th minute before substitute Christian Ramírez completed the turnaround in the 82nd minute.

But there was one final twist. Austin, who had shown plenty of attacking intent throughout, refused to fold and found a late leveler through Kobe Franklin in the 88th minute to secure a legitimate share of the points.

Bell opens the scoring as Austin edge the first half

The opening period had a competitive edge without ever quite settling into rhythm. Austin enjoyed slightly more of the ball and looked the calmer side in possession, while Toronto tried to create through volume, eventually finishing with 18 total shots and 11 on target across the match.

The breakthrough arrived in the 29th minute when Jon Bell put Austin in front. That goal rewarded a solid away performance in the first half and gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at the interval. Toronto’s frustration showed in moments, and while both sides picked up bookings before the break, Austin went into halftime with the cleaner feeling about their work.

Toronto’s comeback changes everything

If the first half belonged to Austin, the early stages of the second suggested the visitors might run away with it. Dániel Sallói made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute, a goal that seemed to put Toronto in serious trouble and left the home crowd needing a response.

It came from an unlikely but fitting source in the 67th minute, when Richie Laryea got Toronto back into the fixture. The goal altered the tempo immediately. Toronto pressed higher, moved the ball with more urgency, and began to stretch Austin’s defensive shape.

That pressure told in the 78th minute as Facundo Torres found the equalizer, capping a sustained spell in which Toronto looked the more dangerous side. Four minutes later, Christian Ramírez struck in the 82nd minute to complete a stunning turnaround and put the Reds 3-2 ahead.

At that stage, BMO Field was roaring and Toronto appeared to have authored one of the league’s best comeback wins of the early season.

Franklin has the last word

MLS fixtures rarely stay predictable for long, and this one still had another swing left in it. Austin, despite surrendering a two-goal lead, continued to threaten in transition and finally found their reward in the 88th minute when Kobe Franklin scored to make it 3-3.

It was a gut punch for Toronto, who had done the hardest part by climbing back from 2-0 down and then moving in front. Yet it was also a fair reflection of a match in which both sides had dangerous spells. Austin finished with 54 percent possession and turned 6 shots on target into 3 goals, while Toronto’s greater shot volume kept the pressure on all afternoon.

What the draw means

For Toronto FC, this will feel like a missed opportunity and a point earned all at once. The resilience to recover from a two-goal deficit was impressive, but conceding in the 88th minute denied them what would have been a statement home result.

For Austin FC, the draw may offer more encouragement than their recent form suggested. The visitors showed quality in possession, took their chances well for long stretches, and responded strongly after losing control of the match late on.

In the end, the points were shared after a six-goal spectacle that underlined exactly why MLS can be so compelling: momentum swings, late drama, and a fixture that never stopped moving.

Goal scorers: Jon Bell 29′ (Austin FC), Dániel Sallói 52′ (Austin FC), Richie Laryea 67′ (Toronto FC), Facundo Torres 78′ (Austin FC), Christian Ramírez 82′ (Austin FC), Kobe Franklin 88′ (Toronto FC).