Toronto FC will try to keep its unbeaten run rolling Saturday when it hosts Austin FC at BMO Field at 1:00 PM ET, with the home side coming in at 3-0-2 over its last five matches and Austin stuck at 0-3-2. Toronto has climbed to sixth in the East and has allowed only five goals during that five-game stretch, while Austin is heading into the trip after a 2-1 loss to USL Championship side Louisville City FC on Tuesday.
Toronto’s recent push has been built on narrow results. It beat the Colorado Rapids 3-2 the week before last, with Richie Laryea and Josh Sargent scoring and Sargent adding an assist, then drew Cincinnati 1-1 last week after benefiting from an own goal. The win over Colorado followed a rough opening to the season, when Toronto lost its first two matches while conceding three goals in each. At home, it is 2-0-2 this season.
Austin has had a far less stable start. The club lost 2-1 to the LA Galaxy last weekend after Myrto Uzini scored in the 85th minute, then dropped the Louisville match three days later. Through seven matches, Austin has one win, eight goals scored and 11 conceded, and it has yet to win on the road at 0-2-1. Uzini leads the team with two goals, and Facundo Torres has three assists, but Dani Pereira left the Louisville game in the 36th minute with a hamstring injury.
The matchup has only a small sample size behind it. Toronto FC and Austin FC have met twice, and the home team won both previous meetings. Toronto is listed at -112 on the MLS odds board, with Austin at +310 and the draw at +250. The over/under is 2.5 goals, with the over at -106 and the under at -118.
Toronto will also be managing absences, with Djordje Mihailovic out because of a pelvic stress fracture. Austin, meanwhile, has been scrambling for a result after a week that exposed how thin its margin is. Saturday gives Toronto a chance to turn momentum into another three points, and Austin a chance to stop the slide before the season starts to pull away from it.
