Patrick Agyemang scored in the 85th minute to break a tie as Charlotte FC came out top amid a busy second-half stretch of offense for both teams to defeat visiting Toronto FC 3-2 on Saturday night.
Kerwin Vargas and Liel Abada scored the other goals for Charlotte (3-3-2, 11 points), which was blanked a week earlier at New England.
Prince Osei Owusu scored both goals for Toronto (3-4-1, 10 points), which scored more than one goal for just the second time this season.
Agyemang, a substitute who came on in the 80th minute, notched his second goal of what has been a frustrating season. He has failed to convert on numerous scoring chances but he made good use of a rush just about five minutes after entering the match. He cut off teammate Brecht Dejaegere’s cross with a sliding shot that came with two Toronto players attempting to disrupt the sequence.
Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made three saves. Sean Johnson stopped two shots for Toronto.
A player from each team contended for the ball before it landed just outside the box in the 39th minute. Vargas swooped in to get the next touch, sending the ball between onlooking Toronto players and into the left bottom corner of the net for the only goal of the first half.
Vargas reacted to his first goal of the season by somersaulting in celebration.
Owusu opened Toronto’s scoring about four minutes into the second half.
Abada, a 22-year-old from Israel in his first MLS start, put Charlotte back ahead in the 70th minute only to have Owusu convert again to knot the score at 2-2 in the 78th minute.
Abada’s goal came when he burst down the right side to get the best angle and placed a shot into the far side of the net.
Owusu produced his second and third goals of the season.
–Field Level Media
