In a major blow to American sports at large, and the MLS specifically, Sunday’s match between Toronto FC and DC United has been postponed minutes before the game was supposed to start.
With less than 20 minutes to go before kick off, reports spread on social media that the game had to be scrapped.
To be clear, the teams had already posted their line ups on social media.
Sources: Toronto FC vs. DC United scheduled to start at 9AM ET this morning on ESPN, has been postponed. More information to come.
— Stefano Fusaro (@FusaroESPN) July 12, 2020
Why was the Toronto FC vs DC United called off?
Reports on social media claimed that the match was binned after the discovery of a positive Covid-19 test.
The Athletic’s Matt Pyzdrowski reported that “each team had a player test positive for COVID overnight”.
Moreover, Matt Pyzdrowski revealed that while DC United were already in the locker room before the game, Toronto FC refused to play.
BREAKING NEWS!!!
Ok, this is new for me but here we go…
Have a source who just told me the @TorontoFC vs @dcunited game this morning in @MLS is being cancelled.
Each team had a player test positive for COVID overnight.
Protocol is to leave players quarantined at hotel and
— Matt Pyzdrowski (@mattpyzdrowski) July 12, 2020
I should make this more clear
Protocol is to leave players who tested positive at the hotel and retest everyone.
DC United has done this
— Matt Pyzdrowski (@mattpyzdrowski) July 12, 2020
The MLS issued the following statement explaining why the Toronto FC vs DC United game was called off:
Under the league’s health and safety protocols, clubs are tested the day before each match.
The results of yesterday’s tests for D.C. United and Toronto FC produced an initial unconfirmed positive COVID-19 case for one player and an inconclusive test for another player.
Because of the arrival time of the clubs in Orlando, the league’s protocol called for retesting both teams this morning and to await the results of those tests prior to playing the match.
MLS postpones Toronto FC vs. DC United match.
?: https://t.co/pWgmPbVdod pic.twitter.com/D45sKYXqZ9
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 12, 2020
The Washington Post’s Steven Goff has suggested that DC United’s Estonian forward Erik Sorga could have tested positive.
He’s reported that “Erik Sorga was not on the game-day roster, despite not being injured.”
D.C. United match vs. Toronto FC is on hold and is expected to be postponed. Teams are on site at stadium. Positive tests. Erik Sorga was not on the game-day roster, despite not being injured. Details to come …
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) July 12, 2020
Sorga was initially scheduled to be on the bench but then was dropped from the game-day roster. DCU did not want to comment.
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) July 12, 2020
News of a positive Covid-19 test comes days after the MLS restarted their action.
Last week the MLS began the ‘MLS is Back’ tournament, which is a month-long competition that’s being staged in Orlando, Florida.
In total, 54 matches were scheduled for this competition.
However, even before the first match, teams were reporting positive Covid-19 results. As reported in the Guardian:
FC Dallas had only checked in when it emerged six of their players had tested positive for Covid-19.
Later in the same day, a further three (and one coach) also tested positive with the Texan side ultimately withdrawn from the tournament just two days before its kick off.
The Columbus Crew also registered a positive test upon arrival in Orlando, with a number of teams also delaying their journey due to positive tests.
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