Sargent leads Toronto FC's comeback win over D.C. United in MLS

Toronto FC had to wait until the 85th minute to turn around a match that looked grim for nearly an hour. At BMO Field, Robin Fraser's side came from behind to beat D.C. United 2-1, with Josh Sargent scoring the winner late on in an MLS clash.

D.C. United, coached by René Weiler, had taken the lead in the 28th minute through a left-footed, low strike from Andre Dozzell from the center of the box, finding the bottom left corner after an assist from Silvan Hefti. The 0-1 scoreline held through the first half and much of the second, with Toronto controlling possession but unable to find a way through the visiting defense.

A comeback in 22 minutes

The equalizer came in the 63rd minute: Jonathan Osorio tapped in from close range, low into the bottom left corner, after a Sargent assist from a corner kick. The goal was only confirmed after a VAR review, which upheld the play and made it 1-1. Toronto kept pressing, and with five minutes left, Sargent struck again, this time with his right foot from the center of the box, low into the bottom left corner, to make it 2-1. Just before that goal, Theo Corbeanu had rattled the left post, a sign the home side already had the match tilting their way.

With five minutes of stoppage time added, D.C. United tried to respond but could not create any real danger on the home side's goal, and the match closed out with a Toronto FC win.

By the numbers

Toronto clearly controlled possession and was also sharper in the final third, though D.C. United matched and even edged them in total shots and was more persistent from corner kicks.

According to our expected goals estimate calculated from the match's shots, Toronto generated 1.475 against 1.106 for D.C. United, a gap that backs up the final result, though neither team was especially clinical in front of goal given the overall shot totals.

Beforehand, our model had projected a 52% chance of a Toronto FC win, a 26% chance of a draw and a 22% chance of a D.C. United win, with expected goals of 1.84 for the home side and 1.16 for the visitors. The final result ended up matching that forecast, though the path to get there was tougher than expected, with Fraser's side needing to come back after trailing for more than half an hour.

What the result means

For Toronto FC, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference with 39 points from 32 matches played, the win comes at a stage of the table where every result carries weight. D.C. United, in 13th place with 33 points, still cannot find momentum and suffers another defeat that leaves it 6 points behind its opponent in the standings. The match had a bit of everything: an early concession that looked set to doom the home side, a VAR review that proved key for the equalizer, and a closing stretch with Sargent as the double protagonist, delivering an assist and then scoring the winning goal in the final minutes.