Toronto FC beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 with Jozy Altidore brace

1:58

Toronto 3-1 Real Salt Lake: Reds pick up first win - Via MLS

A Jozy Altidore brace and a goal from substitute Tosaint Ricketts helped the defending MLS Cup champions pick up their first win of the season.

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:32 am

Toronto FC earned its first win of the Major League Soccer season, riding a Jozy Altidore brace to a 3-1 victory against Real Salt Lake on Friday night at BMO Field.

The defending MLS Cup champions took the field looking to avoid becoming the first team in league history to start the season with three consecutive losses after winning the title.

And the hosts showed intent from the outset, dictating the play in the opening 15 minutes with Altidore being stuffed on the doorstep by Nick Rimando on 12 minutes after Sebastian Giovinco had played him into the area.

Toronto then had a chance from the penalty spot minutes later after Damir Kreilach was questionably whistled for handball on an Altidore cross only for Giovinco's spot kick to be kept out by a diving Rimando.

Altidore then drew another penalty in the 22nd minute when his run into the box forced Justen Glad to bring him down from behind and the U.S. international calmly dispatched his attempt from 12 yards to register Toronto's first league goal of the season.

Toronto's second goal came with Giovinco pulling the strings right before half-time, the Italian sliced the RSL defense open with a perfect through ball to Ashtone Morgan, who laid it off for Altidore to double his team's lead.

RSL came out of the dressing room looking to claw back a pair of goals and nearly found a first when Joao Plata forced a Clint Irwin save just after 50 minutes. Jefferson Savarino then wrong-footed Irwin with a deflected shot from outside the area in the 65th minute, but the strike rolled just wide of the far post.

And the visitors finally found the back of the net in the 82nd minute when Toronto gave the ball away deep in its own territory, allowing Demar Phillips to curl home a nice shot to beat Irwin and halve the deficit.

However, substitute Tosaint Ricketts secured the three points in second-half stoppage time, pouncing on the rebound from a Ager Aketxe shot that came back off the crossbar and smashing it into the back of the net to make it 3-1.