"A moment kills us": Robin Fraser reflects on Toronto FC's loss to NYCFC

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·27 de abril de 2025

"A moment kills us": Robin Fraser reflects on Toronto FC's loss to NYCFC

With Toronto FC playing a lot of low-event football recently, it is not a surprise that singular moments are defining their results. Take even last weekend's victory over Real Salt Lake, a mistake from the host's backline was the difference maker in Theo Corbeanu finding the winner.

This weekend's "moment" was Kosi Thompson fouling Alonso Martinez in the box, which sent the Costa Rican to the penalty spot. Making no mistake from the spot, the penalty kick was enough to see NYCFC earn all three points on Saturday.

Vídeos OneFootball

""[This game] reminds me a little bit of some of the early games where we do a lot of things really well, and then a moment kills us. At the end of the day, [I am] disappointed because I thought we could have won, but certainly credit to New York... tough game and tough conditions, windy day, and they got out of here with a result.""Toronto FC Head Coach Robin Fraser

Another headliner of the press conference was the decision to give Charlie Sharp his first career start in Major League Soccer and Fraser's impressions of Sharp's performance. The 23-year-old forward went 88 minutes for Toronto, operating as a striker between Corbeanu and Bernardeschi for a majority of the match.

""For the most part I thought Charlie [Sharp] did well, he ran hard... defensively he kind of did everything we asked for. Offensively, we were able to play some balls into him and he had some good layoffs to help continue our attacks... To be called upon at the last second and to get your first start, to play in a tough game in tough conditions, I thought he did quite well","Toronto FC Head Coach Robin Fraser

Fraser then clarified that Charlie Sharp's inclusion was due to the club holding out on Ola Brynhildsen being fit to play against NYCFC, with the Norwegian ultimately not making the squad. Before the match, Fraser revealed the player was "in contention" to play.

""We were just hoping that Ola would have been ready and it turns out he wasn't ready.""Toronto FC Head Coach Robin Fraser

Brynhildsen has already been injured three separate times this season which has to be a concern for the Toronto coaching and medical staff. Given that it sounds he was a last-minute doubt for the match, he could be ready for the midweek clash against CF Montreal in the Canadian Championship.

Lack of clinical finishing hurting Toronto FC

While a moment might have defined the result for Toronto, the club did little to create its own moments. There were plenty of chances for Toronto to turn their opportunities in the final third into something, but ultimately, the club struggled to test NYCFC's Matt Freese. According to FotMob, Toronto had seven shots blocked against New York, as well as five shots off target.

""Goals change games so much. So if we capitalize on some of our early chances, if we're up 1-0, if we're up 2-0, the whole game feels different.""Toronto FC Head Coach Robin Fraser

Looking towards its next MLS matchup, Toronto host the New England Revolution on Saturday, May 3 at BMO Field. The Revolution sit just behind NYCFC in the Eastern Conference with 13 points in nine matches, good enough for 10th place.