TORONTO — Toronto FC avoided coming up empty in their goal-filled contest against Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, but lamented after the fact that they couldn’t hold onto a halftime lead.
“We can’t wait until we’re down to show that kind of urgency,” Toronto FC head coach Robin Fraser said after earning a point.
Derrick Etienne Jr. scored the tying goal two minutes into second-half injury time and Josh Sargent netted a hat trick as Toronto FC rallied for a 4-4 Major League Soccer draw against Chicago Fire FC at BMO Field.
And while tying was a better result than the loss they were facing, not holding the 2-1 halftime lead or the 3-2 lead in the second half was the difference between sitting in a playoff shot and remaining on the outside looking in.
“Squandered,” Fraser said about the moment. “I do think it was a (good) opportunity, they’re a really good team and they were very composed. We had some good moments and among those good moments there were some very poor defensive moments.”
Sargent recorded his first MLS hat trick in his first season with Toronto FC (5-7-11).
“My kids have been waiting for this moment, pestering me saying ‘Hey you didn’t score today,'" Sargent said after the match. “So they are going to be very excited about this."
Sargent scored his first goal with a strike from the centre of the box and into the bottom right corner of the goal in the 27th minute. Djordje Mihailovic and Alonso Coello picked up assists. Nine minutes later, Sargent scored his second goal past Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady by sending his shot from the centre of the box into the middle-left part of the net.
Chicago (11-6-5) opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Maren Haile-Selassie’s shot from just outside the box went through a sea of Toronto defenders before it got past goalkeeper Luka Gavran and found the back of the net.
In the 49th minute, Toronto FC centreback Wayne Zimmerman attempted to defend a pass that was heading for soccer superstar Robert Lewandowski, but instead he put it into the back of his own net and the game was tied 2-2.
Sargent snapped the tie with his third goal of the match from the central position outside the box in the 54th minute. But a pair of defensive breakdowns led to Chicago reclaiming the lead.
Haile-Selassie scored his second goal of the match for Chicago shortly after Gavran made an initial save from distance but was caught out of position for the secondary chance.
Lewandowski made it 4-3 Chicago when he connected on a pass from Philip Zinckernagel from deep into the centre of the box in the 63rd minute.
Etienne's late goal ensured Toronto received a point in the standings. It's the eighth time this season they allowed the first goal of the match then came back and earned at least a draw.
TAKEAWAYS
The game marked the first professional match for Lewandowski on Canadian soil. The star player signed with Chicago Fire on June 29th. Lewis Morgan made his Toronto FC debut, three days after being acquired in a trade with San Diego FC in exchange for a 2026 International roster slot.
KEY MOMENT
In the 42nd minute, Sargent was tackled hard at the edge of the box by Chicago centre back Sam Rogers. However, Rogers, who had received a yellow card earlier in the match, was not given his second yellow, much to the dismay of the club and the crowd at BMO Field. A yellow would have reduced Chicago to 10 men, making it tougher for the Fire to mount their initial comeback.
“I was extremely surprised, I thought it was a very, very dangerous challenge,” Fraser said. “If he’s gotten by the player and he’s running at pretty good speed, the player lunges in. And the first leg is one thing, but it’s the trailing leg that almost seems to land on Josh’s ankle. … For me, that’s all I can say without getting fined.”
KEY STAT
Sargent’s hat trick was the first for Toronto FC in more than two years. The last time it occurred was when Federico Bernardeschi scored three times in a win against CF Montreal on May 18, 2024.
UP NEXT
Chicago: Hosts Inter Miami on Wednesday.
Toronto: Hosts Nashville SC on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2026.
David Alter, The Canadian Press
