Atlanta United vs. Toronto FC results: TFC advances to MLS Cup after gutsy win

Rudi Schuller

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Atlanta United vs. Toronto FC results: TFC advances to MLS Cup after gutsy win image

For the third time in four years, Toronto FC will play in the MLS Cup final.

TFC defeated Atlanta United 2-1 in the Eastern Conference final on Wednesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, showing a combination of grit and skill in the comeback victory. Nicolas Benezet and Nick DeLeon scored for Toronto, negating a fourth-minute Atlanta goal by Julian Gressel.

The opening fifteen minutes of Wednesday's contest were the most frenetic in recent memory, as Atlanta grabbed the early lead through Gressel and had a Josef Martinez penalty saved just minutes later. Benezet's curling effort, which evaded goalkeeper Brad Guzan by inches, capped the frantic quarter hour as both teams appeared ready to play at full pace for the entire game.

MORE: Top 5 Toronto FC playoff moments

Predictably, the game eventually slowed down and became a cagier affair. Atlanta had the better of the play throughout the rest of the first half and much of the second, but Toronto held steady and picked its spots to keep the home side honest.

With time ticking down, substitute DeLeon got on the ball at the top of the Atlanta penalty area, and after wiggling himself free he unleashed a rocket of a shot that zoomed under Guzan's crossbar. The final 12 minutes of the game consisted of TFC bunkering down and protecting its hard-earned lead while the hosts threw everything they had forward.

Ultimately, Toronto held on.

TFC heads into MLS Cup against the Seattle Sounders, who won the Western Conference championship on Tuesday. The two teams faced off in the 2016 and 2017 championship matches, with each raising the Cup once.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from TFC's match against Atlanta. See how it all went down:

Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 2: Updates, highlights from 2019 MLS Eastern Conference final

Pre-game

7:11 p.m. ET - The home team has announced a very strong starting lineup. The only obvious omission is Miles Robinson, who injured his hamstring while on national team duty with the USMNT earlier this month.

7:12 p.m. ET - TFC's XI is out now, too. Jozy Altidore (quad) is still not in the squad. If the Reds are to win tonight, they'll do so without their top striker.

7:17 p.m. ET - Not surprisingly, Toronto will be in all white. Atlanta will be in their home Five Stripes kits.

7:27 p.m. ET - A former TFC homegrown is behind his old team, even if it may be a little bit tongue-in-cheek.

7:28 p.m. ET - The champs are here.

7:57 p.m. ET - Could it be? Is Toronto — gasp! — getting used to these kinds of big sports moments?

8:04 p.m. ET - O...K...?

First Half

8:12 p.m. ET - Kick-off!

4' ⚽️ GOAL - Atlanta grabs an early lead after Pity Martinez beats the high line and gets a breakaway. He slides it over to Julian Gressel for a tap-in. ATL 1-0 TOR

6' TFC had all of the play ahead of that opener, so a goal coming so easily is a bit of a shocker.

9' Penalty! Atlanta goes over the top again to get in behind the Toronto defence, and Pity is hauled down inside the area. It look a bit soft, but it doesn't matter.

11' SAVE! Josef Martinez goes low to Quentin Westberg's right, and the TFC keeper gets a strong hand on it. That was a huge moment.

14' ⚽️ GOAL - Toronto equalizes on a bbrilliantNicolas Benezet strike that curls around Brad Guzan. The shot came after an inch-perfect cross-field pass from Laurent Ciman. ATL 1-1 TOR

20' The game seems to finally be settling down now after a crazy opening quarter hour. 

25' The boo birds are out in force for Michael Bradley, who steps up to take a free kick from 45 yards out. His lobbed ball is handled by the Atlanta defence.

34' Atlanta with a good spell of possession here. Pity Martinez earns a free kick from 25 yards out.

36' After a long deliberation, Ezequiel Barco takes the free kick. It's straight into the TFC wall.

37' Save Westberg! Toronto gets caught in possession inside the goalmouth, and a point-blank shot is stopped on the near side.

42' Tons of pressure from the Five Stripes on TFC, keeping the visitors pinned in their own half. Toronto looking to just get to the halftime break.

45' We're into two minutes of stoppage now.

45'+3 The referee blows the whistle after a failed TFC corner kick set play. 

Second half

9:15 p.m. ET - Kick-off for the second half!

48' Atlanta has started this half with a jump.

49' TFC has already committed four fouls in this half.

53' Jeff Larentowicz is on the ground holding his groin area after a clash with Nicolas Benezet. Not exactly sure what happened there.

54' That was the last action of the night for goal scorer Benezet as TFC makes its second change.

58' Close! Josef Martinez breaks down the right side, but his shot is on the wrong side of the post. Ciman did well to shepherd the Atlanta striker wide enough for a tight-angle shot.

66' Josef Martinez gets a breakaway and a shot, but he's well offside. Westberg made a good save anyway.

68' Auro is shaken up and will make his way off. He seems to think he was elbowed.

72' Ciman challenges Barco with a high foot. A free kick from 35 yards out is called. The effort is dealt with rather easily by TFC.

77' ⚽️ GOAL - What a strike from Nick DeLeon! The TFC man spins and fires from the top of the 18, and it's a bullet into the top corner. TOR 2-1 ATL

81' Frank de Boer finally goes to his bench.

84' Atlanta throwing everything but the kitchen sink now. Expecting the sink to show up soon.

87' Corner for Atlanta. The ball bounces around dangerously but it's eventually hammered away by TFC.

90' Five minutes added on at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Hold on to your butts.

90'+2 Westberg save! Gonzalez-Pirez gets a shot from in close but the TFC 'keeper has the angle covered.

90'+5 That's it! TFC advances to MLS Cup!

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Rudi Schuller