Toronto FC's already tough season just got tougher, as veteran goalkeeper Sean Johnson suffered a hand fracture during training on Tuesday and is expected to miss approximately four to six weeks. He will be assessed by a hand specialist later in the week to determine if surgery is necessary.
Johnson has only played three matches for Toronto (one in the MLS regular season and two in Leagues Cup) since departing for the Nations League with the US men's national team in early June. After the Nations League, he stayed on with the USMNT through the Gold Cup, missing most of July for Toronto as well.
While on national team duty, Johnson was spelled by both Greg Ranjitsingh and Tomás Romero. Ranjitsingh played more matches, but Romero earned the most recent start as the club went 0W-0D-5L over that stretch.
The Reds began 2023 with high expectations, banking their hopes on a high-flying attack led by former Serie A superstars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Instead, injuries, locker-room turmoil and structural overhaul have seen Toronto slump to 14th place in the Eastern Conference and a quick group-stage exit in Leagues Cup.
The club will hope recent acquisitions from abroad (Prince Owusu, Cassius Mailula) and within the league (Latif Blessing, Franco Ibarra) can help them finish their campaign on a high note. Their first post-Leagues Cup test comes Sunday when hosting CF Montréal (7:30 pm ET | Apple TV - Free).
