HUNTSVILLE – The Huntsville City Football Club led in shots 12-8 and both clubs finished with three on target.

For the homesteading Boys in Blue, however, none of their attempts hit paydirt. Toronto FC II struck gold just once, and not until the 85th minute, but that was enough.

Toronto’s 1-0 victory Friday night over Huntsville City as a crowd of 4,252 watched at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium had familiar characteristics: The Boys in Blue played well, the second half was unkind, but close doesn’t count in what remains an empty win column for the team in 2024.

HCFC dropped to 0-5-3-0 and remains stuck on three points in the MLS NEXT Pro standings. Toronto FC improved to 3-2-2-0 with 11 points.  

“Obviously we’re really disappointed,” HCFC interim head coach Christophe Berra said. “I think it was probably the best we’ve played this season.”

Berra added that he thought his team passed on scoring opportunities.

“We need to be ruthless in both boxes,” he said. “We need to be ruthless all game.”

The Boys in Blue will be back in action Saturday when Atlanta United 2 visits Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium for a 7 p.m. match. Tickets to the match can be purchased here.

HCFC, which didn’t allow a first-half goal for the third straight match, gave up a goal in the 85th minute to Charlie Sharp on an assist by Markus Cimermancic. HCFC played with a shallow bench because of injuries.

“They bring a striker on with fresh legs, we’re getting tired, we haven’t got many bodies on the bench and they scored a goal,” Berra said. “For 70, 80 minutes we were well in the game and probably (our) team dominated.”

HCFC lost Ollie Wright in extra time when he received his second yellow card following a confrontation with an official.