LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Toronto FC tied the New England Revolution 0-0 Tuesday morning to book its ticket to the round of 16 at the MLS is Back Tournament
Toronto remained atop Group C with five points from three games, ahead of New England by virtue of having scored more goals. A D.C. United win over the Montreal Impact in the final group game Tuesday night would leave Toronto, New England and D.C. all on five points but TFC can finish no lower than second, based on tiebreakers.
The group runner-up faces the Philadelphia Union, second in Group A, on Saturday in the knockout round of 16. The group winner takes on one of the four-best third-place finishers on Sunday.
Toronto outshot New England 15-10 (5-2 in shots on target) and had 60.4 per cent possession.
Toronto forward Ayo Akinola, who came in the game with five goals at the tournament, had several chances to add to his total. The best came in the 79th minute when, after taking an Alejandro Pozuelo through ball, he outmuscled a defender only to see goalkeeper Matt Turner get a limb to the ball.
Jozy Altidore came off the bench in the 86th minute, his first action at the tournament, and had an immediate impact, finding Akinola racing towards the penalty box. The 20-year-old forward was taken down by DeJuan Jones but, after video review, it was ruled a free kick just outside the box and not a penalty.
Altidore had sat out the first two games while working his way back to full match fitness.
Greg Vanney made two changes to his starting 11, bringing in goakeeper Alex Bono for Quentin Westberg and midfielder Nick DeLeon for Tsubasa Endoh.
It was Bono's first league start since May 8, 2019, when Toronto lost 2-0 to Atlanta. Westberg had started the last 33 regular-season and playoff games
Vanney had hoped Jonathan Osorio, who has been dealing with a quad issue, might be ready for Tuesday's game, but the Canadian midfielder did not make the matchday 23.
New England coach Bruce Arena, whose team played last Friday, made six changes to his starting 11.
Spanish playmaker Carles Gil, who has been dealing with a lingering foot issue, did not dress for New England. Gil sat on the bench with a walking boot on his leg foot.
Hamilton-born U.S. international forward Teal Bunbury, the son of former Canadian international Alex Bunbury, captained the Revs. Canadian Tajon Buchanan started on the right wing for New England.
It was 29 C for kickoff at 9 a.m. ET, feeling like 36 C. It was Toronto's early kickoff of the tournament and the first for New England.
Toronto started brightly with Pozuelo continuing to build a dangerous rapport with Pablo Piatti and Brazil's Auro on the right flank.
Richie Laryea found Akinola behind the defence in the 19th minute but his shot did not trouble Turner.
New England did not manage a shot on target in the first half with Toronto, which put three shots on goal, having 68.1 percent of the possession.
The Revs came out more aggressively to start the second half.
New England finally put a shot on goal in the 49th minute with Bono stopping Diego Fagundez. He came close again in the 54th with his deflected shot just falling off target.
Akinola shot just wide in the 57th minute.
Canadian midfielder Noble Okello, who turned 20 Monday, made his MLS debut off the bench in the minute in the 67th minute.
Bono made a key save in the 74th minute, using his body to stop Polish striker Adam Buksa from point-blank range after a long pass found Brandon Bye behind the Toronto defence.
New England wanted a penalty in the 80th minute when substitute Gustavo Bou went down in the penalty box making contact with Michael Bradley, but no call was made.
Toronto opened the tournament with a 2-2 tie with D.C. United before beating the Montreal Impact. New England defeated Montreal 1-0 and tied D.C. United 1-1.
With group games counting in the regular-season standings, Toronto now stands at 2-0-3 while New England is 1-1-3.
Toronto extended its unbeaten regular-season run to 15 (6-0-9). It has not lost a regular-season game since Aug. 3, when it dropped a 2-0 decision at the New York Red Bulls.
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