Toronto FC’s playoff qualification hopes suffered a major setback on Saturday following a 4-2 defeat to the Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. The loss leaves Toronto stuck at 36 points and 11th in the Eastern Conference with only three regular-season matches remaining.
Columbus Crew Overcomes Toronto FC to Shift Eastern Conference Standings
Toronto FC remains outside the Major League Soccer playoff line after dropping a 4-2 decision to the Columbus Crew on Saturday afternoon, according to reports from Sportsnet.ca. The defeat keeps Toronto at 36 points, dropping them to 11th place in a tightly contested Eastern Conference where only the top nine teams qualify for the postseason. The Crew capitalized on early opportunities to build a commanding lead. In the 16th minute, Mohamed Farsi ran onto a clipped through ball from Santiago Rodríguez and laid it off for Gonzalo Tapia, who guided his finish to give the Crew a 1-0 advantage. Malte Amundsen added a header in the 21st minute off a corner kick by Dylan Chambost, giving Columbus a 2-0 advantage before halftime. Amundsen struck again just three minutes into the second half, cushioning another delivery from Chambost to make it 3-0. Substitute Brooks Lennon extended the lead to 4-0 in the 59th minute by sweeping home a layoff from Chambost, who finished the match with three assists.
Rodriguez ➡️ Farsi ➡️ Tapia! @ColumbusCrew take the lead at home! 📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/jMCvCqgbTT pic.twitter.com/HIfGCVWsqp
— https://x.com/MLS/status/2114085052812243261
Second-Half Rally Falls Short for Toronto
Despite the three-goal deficit, Toronto mounted a vigorous response in the second half. Dániel Sallói put the visitors on the scoreboard in the 69th minute with a powerful header at the back post, meeting a cross from Theo Corbeanu. The goal marked Sallói’s team-leading ninth of the season.
A minute later, Columbus was reduced to 10 players when Sekou Bangoura received his second yellow card of the match for a foul on Corbeanu just outside the penalty area. Toronto continued to press, and Josh Sargent scored in the 81st minute past goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
Disappointing result for us in a game which was very important, which we needed to win,
TFC forward Theo Corbeanu said after the match. I thought we reacted very well, extremely well in the second half, even though the first half was very, very poor for our standards.
Toronto head coach Robin Fraser defended his lineup choices, including starting Sallói on the bench. Yeah, it’s easy to judge when you’re not at training every day, and you don’t see the things that we’re working on or what we’re trying to accomplish,
Fraser explained. So, the decision really was about the continuity of the last game.
Crew Victory Pushes Toronto Further from Playoff Spots
The victory propelled the Crew (11-15-5) to 38 points, lifting them into the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference and extending their winning streak to three matches. Meanwhile, victories by FC Cincinnati (42 points) and the New York Red Bulls (39 points) on Saturday pushed them into the eighth and ninth seeds, respectively.
Toronto now sits two points behind Columbus and the final playoff positions with just three matches left on the schedule. The team returns home to BMO Field to face D.C. United on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in their final regular-season home match.
Well, this game’s over,
Fraser said regarding the quick turnaround. We need to concentrate on Wednesday, and not allow this feeling to carry over to Wednesday because we have another big game coming up and it’s at home, and certainly the feeling is that we have to win it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Toronto FC’s Playoff Push
What is Toronto FC’s current record and standing?
Toronto FC holds an 8-10-12 record with 36 points, placing them 11th in the Eastern Conference standings following the October defeat.
How many games remain in Toronto FC’s regular season?
Toronto has three matches remaining to secure a postseason berth, starting with a home fixture against D.C. United on October 28, 2026.
Malte Amundsen extends the @ColumbusCrew lead off the corner! pic.twitter.com/6wEWIM3uu5
— https://x.com/MLS/status/2114085776170336600
When did Toronto FC last make the MLS playoffs?
Toronto FC last qualified for the MLS postseason in the 2020 campaign.
More on Columbus Crew
locking in early 🔒 pic.twitter.com/501Gst8M2K
— https://x.com/TorontoFC/status/2114081073751601506
Another look at Salloi's goal 🔂 pic.twitter.com/fq2QcTIYLq
— https://x.com/TorontoFC/status/2114102780444987466
Sargent from just outside the box 💥 pic.twitter.com/yO5HrbLE43
— https://x.com/TorontoFC/status/2114105653832601624
60' | Goal, Columbus Crew. 4-0 | #CLBvTOR | #TFCLive
— https://x.com/TorontoFC/status/2114099658700075271
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