Toronto FC Earns Draw with D.C. United in MLS Season Opener

Image credits: Nick Wass/AP Photo

Toronto FC began their Major League Soccer season with a 2-2 draw against D.C. United on Saturday night, with Federico Bernardeschi scoring on a penalty kick in the 70th minute to secure the point. The Italian star's goal came after Richie Laryea was fouled by Brandon Servania, and Bernardeschi made no mistake in converting the spot kick. Toronto coach Robin Fraser was pleased with his team's performance, saying they grew into the game and created several chances. The draw was a positive start for Fraser, who is in his first season in charge of the team.

The match was an entertaining end-to-end affair, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. D.C. United took the lead in the eighth minute through Boris Enow's first career goal, but Toronto pulled level 20 minutes later through Jonathan Osorio's unassisted strike. Christian Benteke then put D.C. United back in front in the 35th minute, but Bernardeschi's penalty kick ensured that Toronto would leave the U.S. capital with a point. The MLS season is expected to be highly competitive, and Toronto will be looking to build on this positive start.

Toronto outshot D.C. United 11-7 and had a 7-2 edge in corners, but the home team's goalkeeper, Kim Joon-Hong, made several key saves to keep his team in the game. The result was a fair reflection of the match, with both teams having periods of dominance. Toronto's new signings, including Theo Corbeanu and Zane Monlouis, made their debuts for the team, and will be looking to make a big impact in the league this season. The team's captain, Jonathan Osorio, was also pleased with the performance, saying that the team was happy to get the point but felt they deserved more.

The match was played in chilly conditions, with the temperature at kickoff being just 3 C. Despite the cold, the game was an exciting and attacking affair, with both teams looking to play positive football. Toronto's next match is against Orlando City, and they will be looking to build on this positive start to the season. The team's coach, Robin Fraser, will be looking to make several key decisions in the coming weeks, including how to utilize his new signings and how to improve the team's defensive record. The team will also be looking to shed high-priced Italian star Lorenzo Insigne, who was not in the match-day roster.

Here are the match scores:

• Toronto FC 2, D.C. United 2

The match statistics were as follows:

• Toronto FC: 11 shots, 7 shots on target, 7 corners
• D.C. United: 7 shots, 3 shots on target, 2 corners

The team's upcoming schedule is as follows:

1. Saturday: at Orlando City
2. March 15: home opener against Chicago Fire

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