By Canadian Press

Bernardeschi scores as Toronto FC ties Real Salt Lake 1-1 in MLS pre-season play

Feb 14, 2024 | 7:32 PM

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Italian star Federico Bernardeschi scored as Toronto FC tied Real Salt Lake 1-1 Wednesday in MLS pre-season play.

The game saw the Toronto debut of rookie winger/wingback Tyrese Spicer, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. The 23-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago had been held back by a fractured toe.

Bernardeschi, Ayo Akinola and Deandre Kerr started in attack for Toronto with captain Jonathan Osorio, Alsonso Coello and Deybi Flores in the midfield

Sean Johnson started in the TFC goal behind Sigurd Rosted, Luke Singh and an unidentified trialist. 

Toronto led 1-0 at the half which saw personnel changes with coach John Herdman having said he planned to rotate his roster to give everyone playing time.

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Toronto opened its pre-season schedule Feb. 2 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., with a pair of 60-minute contests against Nashville SC. Bernardeschi and fellow Italian Lorenzo Insigne scored in a 2-0 win for Toronto with Nashville taking the second game 1-0.

TFC treated the outing as two separate matches. Nashville called it a 2-1 pre-season loss.

Toronto played MLS champion Columbus on Sunday in California in a game that saw both teams refrain from providing scoring or lineup details, although Toronto showed some limited highlights later. 

TFC wraps up its pre-season schedule against Los Angeles FC on Saturday, also in Santa Barbara.

Toronto, which finished last in the league last season at 4-20-10, opens the regular season Feb. 25 at FC Cincinnati with its home opener two games later, March 9 against Charlotte FC.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2024

The Canadian Press