ORLANDO, Fla. — Toronto FC's nightmarish start to the MLS season continued Saturday, beaten 2-0 by FC Cincinnati for its fifth straight loss.
Goals by Allan Cruz, in the fourth minute, and Luciano Acosta, in the 68th, added to Toronto's misery in the latest in a line of uneven performances. Toronto (1-7-2) is now winless in six games and its record in all competitions this season is 2-9-3.
The last time TFC lost five in a row was in April-May 2013.
Toronto is off to the second-worst start in club history with five points through 10 matches. The only worse opening was 2012 when the team lost nine straight.
Cincinnati (3-5-1) came into the game at Exploria Stadium 24th overall in the league standings. Toronto, which finished second in the Supporters' Shield race last season, languishes in 26th place.
Cincinnati started the season winless in four games (0-3-1) but has gone 3-2-0 since. And it has now won three straight away matches for the first time in club history, dispatching the Fire 1-0 in Chicago last Wednesday and CF Montreal 2-1 on May 22 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., before taking care of Toronto.
Cincinnati was 4-21-3 on the road in its first two seasons.
Saturday's contest marked Toronto's 25th league game away from home since its last match at BMO Field on Sept. 1, 2020.
Once again Toronto conceded early, this time in the fourth minute.
Mark Delgado lost the ball in front of goal as TFC tried to work it out from the back. Isaac Atanga's through ball split the Toronto defence and Cruz, a Costa Rican international, beat Alex Bono for his first goal of the season.
TFC, which gave up goals in the first and eighth minute in a 3-2 loss to Orlando City last weekend, has conceded a league-worst six goals in the first 15 minutes of play this season. As in previous games, its play improved after the early blunder but it could not dig itself out of the hole.
Cincinnati packed its defence in the second half, content to sit back and pack its end of the field while hoping for a counter-attack if Toronto overcommitted. That came in the 68th minute with Acosta, a diminutive Argentine designated player, curling a beautiful shot past Bono from outside the penalty box.
Toronto is now 0-6-1 this season when conceding the first goal.
Toronto coach Chris Armas rang in the changes, both in personnel and formation. He made five changes to the starting 11 that lost 3-2 midweek at Nashville SC, shifted to a three-man backline with Omar Gonzalez, Eriq Zavaleta and Chris Mavinga and started Mullins and Dwyer as a tandem up front.
For Zavaleta, it was his 100th career MLS regular-season start.
Quentin Westberg, who had started the last two games in goal, did not dress due to a finger injury. He had appeared to jam his hand against the crossbar making a save off a Daniel Lovitz free kick midweek in Nashville. Bono, who had started the first seven league games, returned with 23-year-old Kevin Silva serving as backup.
Justin Morrow joined Gonzalez, Dom Dwyer and Patrick Mullins in slotting into the starting 11.
Toronto was without all three of its designated players.
Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo did not dress after being substituted at halftime in Nashville due to hamstring tightness. Winger Yeferson Soteldo, recovered from his own hamstring injury, is with Venezuela at the Copa America. And striker Jozy Altidore remains on the outs with the club, training separately while talks continue about his future.
Delgado had a chance to make up for his earlier gaffe but goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer somehow managed to stop his point-blank header in the 18th minute after a fine run by Richie Laryea. Toronto also had chances in a 30th-minute goalmouth scramble as mayhem ensued after Gonzalez headed a Michael Bradley free kick back in front of goal.
A timely intervention by Cincinnati defender Ronald Matarrita in the 35th minute denied Mullins after Dwyer found him in front of goal.
Morrow and Delgado gave way to Kemar Lawrence and Tsubasa Endoh to start the second half.
Dwyer had two good scoring chances early in the second half, putting the ball in the net on one, but both were ruled offside.
Cincinnati brought on former TFC defender Nick Hagglund in the 52nd minute to bolster the backline.
Toronto came into the game ranking 26th on defence, conceding an average of 2.00 goals a game. Only Cincinnati, at 2.13, had leaked more goals a game. TFC had conceded a league-worst 18 goals.
Toronto had won all three previous encounters with Cincinnati, with an 8-2 edge in goals.
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