Tosaint Ricketts will not soon forget this past week. Neither will Toronto FC.
Ricketts helped Toronto extend their winning streak to a club record six games by scoring the decisive goal in a 3-2 home victory over Minnesota United on Saturday. The Canadian forward's tally at BMO Field came in the 77th minute, and just three days after he bagged a late brace to help his side beat Columbus Crew SC.
Toronto and Minnesota took turns seizing the momentum in the entertaining affair, and the expansion side looked like it was on its way to a road result after Kevin Molino scored his second goal of the game in the 62nd minute. Some individual brilliance from Jozy Altidore and Ricketts' nodded finish made sure that was not the case, however.
Goals
- 20' – TOR – Sebastian Giovinco (PK) Watch
- 52' – MIN – Kevin Molino Watch
- 54' – TOR – Christian Ramirez (Own Goal) Watch
- 62' – MIN – Kevin Molino Watch
- 77' – TOR – Tosaint Ricketts Watch
Three Things
- ALTIDORE MAGIC: Tosaint Ricketts deserves plenty of praise for what he did to keep Toronto FC's winning streak alive this week, but so too does Jozy Altidore. Ricketts' winner on Saturday was the result of some great work from Altidore down the left. The US national team striker received the ball on the left flank and bulldozed his way around the field before unleashing an inch-perfect cross that Ricketts could have pushed home with a large exhale. Altidore was not only strong on that play but persistent, scrapping his way through challenges and 50-50s to help Toronto keep their streak alive.
- HEALTH CONCERNS: What made Toronto FC's victory against Minnesota United more impressive was the fact that the Eastern Conference side prevailed despite having to use all of its substitutions before the 66th minute. Sebastian Giovinco, Jason Hernandez, and Nick Hagglund were all forced out of the game due to health issues, leaving Toronto head coach Greg Vanney a bit handcuffed with how he could approach things tactically.
- FAMILIAR PROBLEM: Minnesota United's defensive issues reared their ugly head again vs. Toronto FC. While the expansion side did a good job of exploiting space when hitting on the counter, it made some very poor errors in the defensive third. Abu Danladi's unnecessary challenge that led to Toronto's first-half penalty kick and Christian Ramirez's own goal highlighted those frailties at the back, as they made life more difficult for a Minnesota side that scored a respectable two goals on the road against Toronto.
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