The hunt for Toronto FC's first win of the season continues Saturday at Real Salt Lake with coach Robin Fraser hoping his team finally gets rewarded for its recent improved play.
"When the season starts — I think I feel this way every season I've ever coached — you can't wait to get the first win. And when you win your first game of the year, it's the best feeling, because now that monkey's off your back. And when you're into the ninth game and you haven't won yet, then that monkey gets bigger and it's more like a gorilla now," Fraser said with a chuckle.
"So we need to get that gorilla off our back, if we can."
Toronto (0-4-4), CF Montreal (0-6-2) and, shockingly, the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy (0-5-3) are the only MLS teams without a win this season.
Ending that slump won't be easy Saturday. Toronto is 1-8-2 at Salt Lake in league play and has not won in Utah since its first visit there in July 2007. TFC has yet to win at America First Field with its lone victory coming at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the University of Utah venue that used to be RSL's home.
Salt Lake (3-5-0) also wants to get back on track, sitting 10th in the Western Conference after losing three of its last four. RSL is coming off a 2-1 loss at Nashville SC that saw it concede a 91st-minute penalty.
Fraser sees plenty of positives in TFC's recent run of draws against in-form Vancouver, Miami and Minnesota, whose combined league record was 14-2-7 going into weekend play.
"I feel for them," Fraser said of his players, "because they are giving everything they have. And you look at the opposition we've played against the last three weeks, our mentality's been great. We've been in every game. We've had a chance to win every game. And I feel so disappointed for them. You come into the locker-room and they've put all of that effort in and you can see the looks on their faces like 'What the hell is it going to take to get a win?'
"I think we're close. A win for us would be more than just a win. I think it would validate everything that they've been doing, how hard they've been working and spur them on to even more. So that's how important I think the win is for us."
Toronto is 0-8-5 since its last league victory, a 2-1 decision over visiting Austin FC on Sept. 14. It has not won away from home in some eight months, going 0-4-3 since a 1-0 decision at Houston on Aug. 24.
The trip to Utah marks a return for Fraser, a former Real Salt Lake assistant coach and member of Jason Kreis’ 2009 MLS Cup championship staff.
Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni, meanwhile, is on the verge of 100 coaching wins. The former U.S. international's record stands at 99-109-74 across all competitions including his time in charge of the Colorado Rapids from 2014-17.
"One of things that Pablo does really well is he gets his teams to play with his personality," said Fraser. "And Pablo was a never-say-die super-engaged player and very intense."
Under Mastroeni, RSL has suffered back-to-back losses just 12 times in his 149 games in charge since August, 2021.
Salt Lake will be looking for points at America First Field with six of its next eight games on the road.
U.S. international Diego Luna is in good form for RSL with three goals and an assist in his last four matches. Fraser calls the 21-year-old attacking midfielder "the focal point of their attack."
"He exudes a level of confidence for a young player that you don't normally see," Fraser said. "I think he's done nothing but back that up the last couple of years."
Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral and Homegrown DF Justen Glad have appeared in every minute of the RSL’s eight league outings to date.
Toronto hopes to get some players back from injury with Fraser saying defenders Nicksoen Gomis and forward Ola Brynhildsen are "potentials" to rejoin the squad for Saturday's game in Sandy, Utah.
Defenders Richie Laryea, Zane Monlouis and Henry Wingo and forward Deandre Kerr remain out, however. Laryea (hamstring) and Kerr (high ankle sprain) are longer-term absences.
Real Salt Lake defender Javain Brown, a Jamaican international, underwent knee surgery Wednesday after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in training last week.
League commissioner Don Garber was in Salt Lake on Friday to announce that the Miller family, former owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz, has acquired controlling interest in RSL Football Holdings, which includes Real Salt Lake and its academy, the NSWL's Utah Royals FC, the Real Monarchs of MLS Next Pro, America First Field, Zions Bank Stadium and Zions Bank Training Center.
New York-based private equity investor David Blitzer will stay on a minority ownership role.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
