Toronto FC roars back with two stoppage-time goals to stun CF Montreal 2-1

TORONTO — Lewis Morgan, Djordje Mihailovic and backup goalkeeper William Yarbrough came off the bench to make massive contributions in Toronto FC’s late-match comeback Saturday.

Morgan and Mihailovic, who both scored in second-half stoppage time to secure a stunning 2-1 victory against CF Montreal, were strategic manoeuvres made by head coach Robin Fraser.

Yarbrough’s inclusion, meanwhile, was unavoidable after starter Luka Gavran suffered a leg injury in the early going.

“Sometimes you make those subs and it doesn’t go that way,” said Fraser, who described Gavran’s injury as not serious. “I’m not foolhardy enough to sit here and pat myself on the back and go, ‘Great subs.’

“I just think we did what we thought could provide more attack for us. We have some really good players, and we have good players. We have so many good players on the team that it’s sometimes hard to get them all in. But it was just an occasion today where we felt like we needed a few more attacking players on, while still having some balance in the midfield. And today it worked out.”

Toronto (7-10-11) has missed Mihailovic because of injuries and a red-card suspension, which had limited him to 12 matches before facing Montreal (6-16-6).

Before his return Saturday, Toronto dropped three straight without the former United States national team midfielder as he nursed a hamstring injury. Toronto started the 2026 season slowly with the 27-year-old recovering from a nagging groin/pelvic problem that kept him out eight weeks.

“This is probably one of the most difficult years in my life,” Mihailovic said. “Two different injuries, ones that I never thought I could have, and obviously my first muscle injury in my career, and I had to take it slow.”

“It’s been a very inconsistent season for me personally. Everybody has not been able to find that rhythm, that consistent playing.”

The 37-year-old Yarbrough made his first appearance for Toronto, and his first since Sept. 21, 2024, as a member of San Jose Earthquakes. The Mexican-born ‘keeper allowed an early second-half goal from Daniel Rios after making the initial stop on the play. But he then settled in to help Toronto win the 39th edition of the 401 Derby, improving to 18-14-7 in the series.

“In Mexico, when you have derbies, it doesn’t matter how you play – you win them,” Yarbrough said. “You can play horrible. It doesn’t matter. You win. You get three points, and that’s my biggest takeaway today.

“I don’t care if it had been 6-5, 10-9. It doesn’t matter as long as we got three points.”

The three points gave Toronto hope in its late-season bid for the playoffs. The club moved to within a point of Red Bull New York and New York City FC, the clubs that hold down the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. Toronto has six games remaining while the New York teams have seven left on the docket.

New York City FC lost to Chicago 2-1 on Saturday, while the New York Red Bulls host San Diego FC on Saturday night.

“With six games left now, we just need to find that consistency, stay healthy, train as hard as we can,” Mihailovic said. “And try to gain three points every match.


UP NEXT

Montreal: Hosts Atlanta United on Wednesday.

Toronto: Hosts Orlando City on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2026.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press