Toronto FC rallies to tie hot FC Dallas

TORONTO — One week after being on the wrong end of a late goal that led to an unsatisfactory tie with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Toronto FC learned how the other half lived.

Justin Braun’s 85th-minute header and Darel Russell’s 90thminute rocket capped a remarkable late Toronto FC comeback in a 2-2 with FC Dallas, the hottest team in MLS, before 16,111on a cold blustery Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.

“I’m sitting here now, the complete opposite of how I felt last week,” said a happy Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen.

Galaxy substitute Jose Villarreal’s 92nd-minute goal the previous week had resulted in another 2-2 tie.

How big was the Toronto comeback Saturday? Fullback Richard Eckersley may have injured his hamstring he celebrated so hard.

“We’re very close to being a pretty good team,” said Nelsen, who inherited a 5-21-8 club.

Adding to the Hollywood storyline feel was the fact that Russell, the hero of the day, had been victimized on both Los Angeles goals the previous week in his first start for Toronto (1-2-2).

Toronto now has five points from five games, not a bad return against teams that were a combined 14-5-5 going into weekend play. And last season it took TFC 13 games to collect five points.

Jacobson, in the 34th minute, and Blaz Perez, in the 59th, scored for FC Dallas (4-1-1).