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The 2026 MLS regular season wasted no time picking up where it left off following the international break, as Toronto FC edged the Colorado Rapids 3–2 in one of the most thrilling matches of the campaign to open Matchday 6.
Josh Sargent, who joined the Canadian club in a $22 million move—potentially climbing to $24 million and setting a new MLS transfer record—netted an 85th-minute winner to mark his first goal for the team. The late heroics from Sargent—the USMNT's 2022 World Cup striker and a fringe candidate for the 2026 squad—weren't even the headline moment of the afternoon, however. That distinction belonged to three red cards and a stunning goalkeeping gaffe from USMNT backup shot-stopper and Colorado's Zack Steffen.
By the time the final whistle blew, with all five goals coming in the second half, the two clubs had accumulated three red cards, seven yellow cards and 29 fouls between them. The match didn't conclude until the 12th minute of second-half stoppage time, with the referee adding a substantial amount of time to accommodate all the chaos.
"I wouldn't even try to describe the game. I don't want to think about it. It was a really choppy, bizarre game. It just felt very strange," said Toronto's head coach and former Rapids manager Robin Fraser. "It was actually quite surreal ... It turned into this absolutely wild game, but obviously, I'm really proud of the response and how the guys came back from what was a really tough situation."
The Card-Filled Second Half
Colorado's Jackson Travis, 22, earned the first red card of the contest in the 38th minute after he fouled Edwards near the touchline—igniting controversy, a VAR review and an eventual upgrade to a dismissal following an initial yellow card decision.
Toronto was unable to capitalize on the brief numerical advantage, however, before Raheem Edwards was sent off himself for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity on the edge of the box. The Toronto winger brought down Rapids midfielder Wayne Frederick, setting up Paxten Aaronson's free-kick opener in the 51st minute.
With both sides reduced to 10 men, Colorado doubled their lead three minutes later through a Keegan Rosenberry strike, before gradually surrendering control of the match. Canadian international Richie Laryea fired a shot into the top corner in the 65th minute to pull Toronto back within one.
Laryea's goal ignited Toronto's comeback, further fueled by a third red card—this time a 75th-minute dismissal of Colorado Designated Player Rafael Navarro, who collected a second yellow. The momentum shifted rapidly from that point, as Toronto surged toward a dramatic conclusion.
MLS After Dark in the...afternoon?! 😳
Three red cards, five goals & one big comeback win for @TorontoFC. pic.twitter.com/WUV0aNa9Cf
Sargent's First, Steffen's Blunder
With Toronto playing 10 against Colorado's nine, they continued to build pressure heading into the final quarter-hour following Navarro's dismissal. Shortly after the sending off, Rosenberry played the ball back into his own half looking to recycle possession through Steffen, but the goalkeeper fumbled the first touch and watched the ball roll over his own goal-line to level the score.
"I can't speak for anyone else, but I know I was a bit like, 'Okay, what just happened? We'll take it,'" Sargent said of Steffen's mistake. "I think we definitely got a real boost of energy from that."
no complaints here 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/t1CahIhbaA
It all set the stage for a frantic finish, with Sargent heading home a corner kick to hand Toronto back-to-back victories and extend the Reds' unbeaten run to four matches, which includes wins against FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew and now Colorado.