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Toronto, Charlotte each hope to end extended winless streaks in clash

MLS: FC Cincinnati at Charlotte FCMay 9, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte FC forward Wilfried Zaha (10) with the ball in the first half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Charlotte FC will aim to end its five-game league winless streak with a home victory against a similarly embattled Toronto FC squad on Saturday evening.

Charlotte (4-6-3, 15 points) has gone nearly a month since its last win against New York City FC on April 18. Improving its stalling offense is a requirement to stop its freefall down the standings.

Charlotte’s home struggles against NYCFC last Saturday embodied their offensive struggles. The team managed only two shots on target, taking a 1-0 loss despite allowing just one shot on goal.

“In the (last) two home games that we’ve had, I would like us to be a lot more forceful in the final third. That’s probably been the biggest gripe of mine with the players,” Charlotte manager Dean Smith said. ” … We didn’t get a lot of players forward in a lot of the play on Wednesday night, and that’s something we spoke about.”

Charlotte will look to key players like Wilfried Zaha to lead the attack. Zaha’s future in Charlotte is in the air as contract negotiations to retain him past the end of his loan on June 30 are still ongoing.

Zaha, who hasn’t scored in his last five appearances, was recently left off the Ivory Coast’s 2026 World Cup roster.

Toronto (3-4-5, 14 points) isn’t doing much better, winless in its last six league games (0-2-4).

“Everyone knows where the standings are at and (that) points are vital, especially during this next stretch,” Toronto midfielder Kobe Franklin said. “We were focused on our home games and getting as many points as we could out of that, and now our focus shifts to being able to play away and pick up points while we’re on the road.”

Getting forward Josh Sargent back from a thigh injury which has sidelined him since March 25 could have been a boost to Toronto’s odds of earning a victory in Charlotte. Although Sargent is progressing well, he’s listed as out for Saturday’s match.

“He’s feeling great and he looks great and he’s moving really well,” Toronto manager Robin Fraser said of Sargent. “I think maybe out of an abundance of caution, if he’s not ready this week then he’ll be ready next week.”

Toronto will also be without key contributors Djordje Mihailovic (pelvis) and Jose Cifuentes (knee) against Charlotte.

–Field Level Media

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Milan Iloski's second-half goal helps Union tie Crew

MLS: Columbus Crew at Philadelphia UnionMay 16, 2026; Chester, Pennsylvania, USA; Columbus Crew defender Andres Herrera (2) shoots the ball against the Philadelphia Union in the second half at Subaru Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Milan Iloski scored his fourth goal midway through the second half but the Philadelphia Union again fell short of a first home win in a 1-1 draw against the Columbus Crew on Saturday night at Chester, Pa.

Iloski’s tally canceled Hugo Picard’s 10th-minute strike from distance for the visitors.

Cavan Sullivan came closest to scoring a late winner for Philadelphia (1-9-4, 7 points), which is now 0-3-3 at home after going 12-1-4 there in 2025 en route to the Supporters’ Shield title.

Patrick Schulte made four saves to help Columbus (3-7-4, 13 points) snap a three-match losing streak, on a night the Crew were outshot 12-6 overall and 5-2 in efforts on target.

Philadelphia midfielder Jovan Lukic departed at halftime with an apparent injury, perhaps the same ailment that forced him out late in the first half of a 4-3 loss at Orlando on Wednesday night.

Picard put Columbus in front in the 10th minute.

Andre Gomes served in an outswinging free kick from beyond the right corner of the penalty area. Union center back Olwethu Makhanya got his head on it, but while retreating could only clear it back to the edge of the penalty area on the left side.

That’s where Picard controlled it with his first touch, then curled an arcing shot with his second into the top right corner beyond Andre Blake’s dive.

Iloski leveled in the 70th minute on an opportunity created by Agustin Anello.

The substitute took Ben Bender’s pass on the left, drove at defender Rudy Camacho on the dribble, then struck a low cross that rolled between Camacho’s legs and toward the top of the 6-yard box.

Iloski did the rest with a one-time finish into an open goal before Schulte could recover from his near-post position.

Sullivan had two promising late chances to finally end the Union’s home misery.

–Field Level Media

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Charlotte halts 5-game winless streak, extends Toronto's to 7

MLS: Toronto FC at Charlotte FCMay 16, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Toronto FC midfielder Alonso Coello (14) kicks the ball defended by Charlotte FC defender David Schnegg (23) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Goals from Wilfried Zaha, David Schnegg and Pep Biel pushed Charlotte FC to a 3-1 win over visiting Toronto FC on Saturday night.

Charlotte (5-6-3, 18 points) ends its five-game winless streak. The club outshot Toronto (3-5-5, 14 points) 16-11 despite holding less possession. Toronto keeper Luka Gavran made two saves and Charlotte’s Kristijan Kahlina finished with three.

Zaha opened the scoring in the 19th minute, breaking a five-game goal drought. After joining a fastbreak, Zaha received a Kerwin Vargas cross in the box before burying his shot in the bottom left corner.

However, Toronto attacker Derrick Etienne responded with a top-class finish from 25 yards out, tying the game in the 22nd minute. After driving the ball into the middle of the pitch, Etienne rocketed a powerfully hit shot off the underside of the crossbar and past the goal line.

Debutant defender Jonathan Gilman nearly pushed Toronto past its 1-1 deadlock just five minutes after Etienne’s strike, after heading in a long free kick. However, the referee disallowed Gilman’s goal, reasoning that Jonathan Osorio had unfairly blocked Charlotte’s Idan Toklomati in the box.

Schnegg responded with another long-range effort for Charlotte. Schnegg’s low, driven shot rolled 27 yards through Toronto’s defense and past the outstretched hands of Gavran into the goal. His strike marked his first league goal for Charlotte and Vargas’ second assist of the night.

Biel scored an 83rd-minute penalty to extend Charlotte’s lead to two. The referee awarded Charlotte the penalty after Osorio got tangled up with an attacker in the box off a corner. Biel fired his penalty straight down the middle to secure his eighth goal in 13 league appearances.

Although Toronto threatened the Charlotte goal throughout the match, a second goal never came. Its defense continued to struggle, extending their 10-game streak without a clean sheet. Their road loss also extended its winless streak to seven, the longest current streak in the league.

–Field Level Media

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Luca Langoni, Revolution edge Minnesota United

MLS: Charlotte FC at New England RevolutionMay 2, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Revolution forward Luca Langoni (41) looks on in the first half against Charlotte FC at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images

Luca Langoni scored early in the second half and the New England Revolution held on to defeat visiting Minnesota United 2-1 on Saturday night at Foxborough, Mass.

Carles Gil posted a penalty kick for New England (8-4-1, 25 points), which improved to 7-1-0 in home games. Three of goalkeeper Matt Turner’s six saves for the Revolution came in the final 10 minutes and they all were off Minnesota headers.

Langoni, who did not play in a 3-0 home shutout loss to Nashville SC on Wednesday, has scored in consecutive matches and picked up his third goal of the season. New England has won a club-record six consecutive games at Gillette Stadium before Wednesday’s setback.

Minnesota (6-5-3, 21 points) received its goal on Kelvin Yeboah’s penalty kick. Drake Callender stopped three shots.

Langoni’s goal in the 49th minute came at the end of a transition opportunity off an assist from Dor Turgeman, who made a slight pass to Langoni. As he entered the box, Langoni unleashed a shot from the right side.

The teams traded penalty kicks in the first 30 minutes in the first meeting between the teams since 2023.

Gil converted on his chance five minutes into the game. Yeboah’s equalizer came in the 26th minute.

New England’s opportunity came because of a foul in the penalty area by Minnesota’s Michael Boxall just a couple of minutes into the game. Then a foul on New England’s Brooklyn Raines provided Yeboah’s opportunity.

–Field Level Media

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