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Toronto FC suffered a considerable blow on Tuesday.
Star winger Lorenzo Insigne experienced a setback to a groin injury he suffered in the first regular season MLS game of the season on Feb. 25. Insigne trained with the club last week but underwent a scan on the weekend that revealed “an aggravation of the groin.” The team doesn’t expect him to be available for the next three or four games.
Insigne, 31, has missed the last two TFC games. The veteran winger recorded six goals and two assists after joining TFC last summer, along with former Italian international teammate Federico Bernardeschi. His absence will be felt on a team having trouble generating offence.
The Reds have two draws and a loss to start the 2023 MLS campaign and haven’t won an MLS regular season game since a 2-0 victory at Charlotte last Aug. 27. In each of the team’s three games this year, TFC held a lead in the second half but failed to hang on for a win. It’s the first time in MLS history that has happened.
According to Whoscored.com, the Reds are averaging just six shots per game (3.3 on target per game), the least in MLS, and are giving up 14.3 shots per game, the sixth-most in the league. In terms of possession, TFC is averaging 44.1%, 27th out of the 29 clubs in MLS.
The Reds were also without veteran forwards Ayo Akinola and Adama Diomande last Saturday in the 1-1 draw against the visiting Columbus Crew at frosty BMO Field. Bradley started 20-year-old Ajax, Ont., native Deandre Kerr, who scored Toronto’s goal. In the match, new left-back Raoul Petretta left the game in the 73rd minute with what Bradley described as “tightness.” Both Akinola and Petretta trained with the full team on Tuesday. There was no sign of Diomande.
TFC plays host to Inter Miami on Saturday night at BMO Field. The Herons will be without team captain Gregore, who has been ruled out indefinitely with a foot injury. The 29-year-old Brazilian was set to undergo a procedure on Tuesday which will determine the amount of time he is out of action. The veteran midfielder was injured Saturday during his team’s 1-0 loss against NYCFC after being on the receiving end of a tackle from former Miami attacker Matias Pellegrini.
REDS ADD FULLBACK
The Toronto FC front office has been on the lookout for depth pieces, and on Tuesday they secured one with the acquisition of fullback Cristián Gutiérrez from Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers.
Gutiérrez joins TFC after spending the past three seasons (2020-2023) with Vancouver, where he made 44 appearances across all competitions. He made his MLS debut during the MLS is Back Tournament against Seattle Sounders FC on July 19, 2020.
Prior to his time with the Whitecaps, Gutiérrez played for Chilean club Colo-Colo, where he made 27 appearances. The Canadian-born defender played five seasons in the Chilean Primera Division, including two short loan spells with Unión Española in 2017 and Huachipato in 2017-2018, where he made a combined 25 appearances.
The Greenfield Park, Que., native began his career with Chilean side Colo-Colo, where he developed through the ranks and made his professional debut on March 1, 2015.
Internationally, Gutiérrez played for the Chile youth national team at the 2017 South American U-20 Championship in Ecuador. In 2021, he received his first callup to the Canada Men’s National Team.
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