Josh Sargent stated ahead of the DC United match: "We know what's at stake. Everybody knows what we have to do. It's a final for us."

The game began with truly uninspired play from Toronto FC, and it didn't initially look like anyone in red knew what they had to do. But in the end, the Reds prevailed 2-1. They didn't make it easy on themselves or their fans.

TFC faced a DC United squad that entered the game as a play-off long-shot but still mathematically in the hunt. Knowing a loss would eliminate them from further contention, the visiting Black-and-Red were equally desperate.

Toronto, while in a slightly better position than DC, were facing their own desperation after their lacklustre loss at the weekend to rivals Columbus Crew. As alluded to by Sargent, the Reds knew they would need to win out in their last three games and would still require help from others' results to get into the play-offs.

how we're shaping up this evening pic.twitter.com/4cOHBwpU32

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) October 28, 2026

TFC manager Robin Fraser put forth his best available line-up — and it was exactly what he ought to have put forth the previous weekend too. The only change was that the team's leading scorer, Dániel Sallói, was back in the starting XI.

Our Starters 📋 pic.twitter.com/USS6wRkp7E

— D.C. United (@dcunited) October 28, 2026

For DC United manager René Weiler, the task appeared more challenging, as he did not have DC's top scorer Tai Baribo available for selection. For a team with the fourth-worst goal difference in MLS, one could not be faulted for wondering where the goals would come from.

The match began brightly for DC United as TFC goalkeeper Luka Gavran was tested and called upon for a key save just one minute in.

There was some controversy in the ninth minute as TFC full-back Matheus Pereira was knocked down inside the DC area, but referee Alexis Da Silva was having none of it.

In the 21st minute Pereira found himself deep on the left flank and whipped in a tantalizing low pass across the face of goal. Unfortunately, there were no TFC players in a position to capitalize. It was the best chance Toronto's attack could conjure in the half.

Disaster struck for Toronto in the 29th minute. Andre Dozzell scored from close range after a pass from Sylvan Hefti, following a defensive lapse and some nifty passing inside the box from the visitors. And for the umpteenth time this season, Toronto fell behind early and again found themselves chasing the game.

Andre Dozzell gets @DCUnited on the board in Toronto! pic.twitter.com/5dyhQJUxtV

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 29, 2026

The teams headed into the break with the visitors leading 1-0. Toronto, despite dominating possession with 56%, showed very little attacking bite in the half, as their two shot attempts — none on target — attested.

It was not as though DC United were hitting Toronto with dangerous counter after counter. DC had only two of five shots on target and held an xG advantage of 0.37 to Toronto's 0.13 in the half. Toronto had looked short on motivation and tactically naïve through the opening 45 minutes.

Just two minutes into the second half, Toronto went straight to the attack, but Sallói's shot from a terrific spot inside the box was blocked out by a DC defender for a corner.

Proceedings boiled over moments later as DC defender Kyle Rowles roughed up Sallói in the aftermath of a corner, resulting in yellow cards to both Rowles and Sallói. The game was decidedly more feisty to begin the second half.

Toronto's second-half energy was rewarded as they conjured up the equalizer through a set piece in the 64th minute. Josh Sargent's header from a Đorđe Mihailović corner was initially called back for offside, as the ball appeared to have gone off Jonathan Osorio's back, with Osorio seemingly in an offside position according to the assistant referee. However, VAR intervened to overturn the decision, and the goal was awarded to Osorio — his 14th consecutive season scoring for the club.

DJORDJE ➡️ JOSH ➡️ OSO ✅ pic.twitter.com/lcoJuackW5

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) October 29, 2026

Toronto remained on the front foot for much of the half and were rewarded with a late lead after a quick counter, where Sargent found Theo Corbeanu with acres of space on the right. Corbeanu's carefully placed shot hit the post, but the rebound came straight to Sargent, who made no mistake in burying the ball behind former TFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

With that goal, Toronto took a deserved 2-1 lead in the 86th minute — Sargent's ninth of the season and also the ninth time the Reds had come from behind to take a second-half lead. Toronto's play in the second half was considerably more inspired.

WE. GO. AHEAD. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/UtQnon8TV5

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) October 29, 2026

The final minutes saw some desperate play from DC United that had Toronto under pressure. It was with collective relief throughout BMO Field that Da Silva picked up the ball and blew the whistle to confirm Toronto's must-win victory.

Toronto finished with 61% possession and an edge in xG with 1.51 to DC United's 1.13. The Reds managed only two shots on target, but it did not matter as both found the back of the net.

The game was a strange one for the Reds — truly a game of two halves, made all the stranger by the fact that there were no changes to Toronto's starting line-up until the 89th minute. Despite the same XI on the pitch throughout, the team was almost unrecognizable from one half to the next. But whatever incited the half-time transformation, it seemed to work.

Post-match, Jonathan Osorio stated: "It was frustrating. It was a frustrating first half, but, yeah, we came in at half-time, we regrouped. And this group kept believing, which is something that we have done all season."

Robin Fraser was equally candid: "I don't think we started particularly well, but I thought we were much more active and dynamic in the second half."

On what changed after the interval, Fraser added: "Mentality, I think. There wasn't a whole lot of structural changes."

Osorio echoed Fraser's assessment and acknowledged that the team's slow starts have been problematic: "We definitely have to work on our starts in the game, and we have to find a better way of imposing ourselves and managing the match."

Ultimately, the Reds' manager was relieved with the result: "I mean, we're still alive, we still have a chance, and that's at this point what we're asking for — to just keep giving ourselves an opportunity."

The loss ended DC United's play-off dreams. Toronto's victory, combined with the New England Revolution's 3-2 defeat of Red Bull New York, means the Reds will live to play another day, as the two teams are level on 39 points. However, Columbus Crew continue to roll, defeating Dallas 2-0 to occupy the final play-in spot with 41 points.

Toronto's penultimate 2026 season game comes on a rare Sunday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face Atlanta United FC. Does anyone need reminding that it is a must-win match for Toronto?