Jozy Altidore came off the bench to score the winner and propel Toronto FC into first place in the Eastern Conference Wednesday night, via a 2-1 victory over host Orlando City SC in Camping World Stadium. With the three points earned from the victory, TFC now have 43 points, two more than New York City FC.
With the big rivalry match against the Montreal Impact coming up on Saturday, Toronto coach Greg Vanney made five changes to his lineup from Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Philadelphia, leaving out the red-hot Altidore, presumably to spare him from playing on Camping World Stadium’s artificial surface. In Altidore’s place, Vanney inserted Tosaint Ricketts, and Ricketts made the coach look smart when he ran onto a quick throw-in by Sebastian Giovinco and slotted it past Orlando goalkeeper Joe Bendik to give TFC the lead in the seventh minute.
Orlando, whose 13 draws this season are more than anyone else in the league, would equalize in the 56th minute on a header by Cyle Larin that kissed off the right goalpost and bounced in. Larin was set up by a cross from the left corner by Luke Boden.
But Altidore, who came on as a sub in the 58th minute, delivered the winner for TFC when he ran on to a ball from Giovinco, cut past Bendik, and knocked the ball into the vacant net in the 86th minute. For Altidore, it was the fourth consecutive game in which he has scored a goal.
