Toronto FC forward Emilio Aristizabal, left, fends off a challenge from Earthquakes defender Daniel Munie on Saturday.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
Toronto FC earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Major League Soccer-leading San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
Both sides scored in the first half, though the Reds appeared to go ahead in the 86th minute in dramatic fashion when TFC midfielder Daniel Salloi directed a bouncing ball toward the open goal. San Jose defender Daniel Munie booted it out of harm’s way just before the ball crossed the goal line.
The injury-depleted Reds (3-3-5) sit sixth in the Eastern Conference, while San Jose (9-1-1) picked up its first draw of the season.
The Reds opened the scoring two minutes into the match when Salloi fired a shot into the far corner from the left side of the box after a good pass by Jonathan Osorio. It was the Hungarian international’s team-leading fourth goal of the season.
The Earthquakes replied in the 14th minute when Preston Judd redirected a free kick by Niko Tsakiris into the goal.
Osorio went down hard in the 36th minute after being clipped by San Jose defender Ronaldo Vieira – one captain taking down the other. Osorio stayed in the match, however. Vieira was issued a yellow card for the foul.
TFC goalkeeper Luka Gavran was forced to make a good save in first-half stoppage time to keep the game tied.
Midway through the second half, the Earthquakes appeared to get away with a hand ball in front of their goal. A couple of minutes after that, San Jose scored but the goal was ruled offside.
The Reds have been decimated with injuries to some key starters, including forward Josh Sargent (thigh), midfielder Djordje Mihailovic (pelvis) and defenders Richie Laryea (thigh), Matheus Pereira (groin) and Nicksoen Gomis (Achilles). Centre back Walker Zimmerman returned to the lineup after missing last week’s match to be with his wife, who was about to give birth, though he did not get into the match.
Forward Timo Werner, who is the Earthquakes’ third-leading scorer with four goals, didn’t make the trip to Toronto.