Toronto FC hurting on defence ahead of MLS rematch with FC Cincinnati

Four days after paying for some sloppy defending in a 2-1 loss to visiting FC Cincinnati, Toronto FC will be short on the backline when the two teams meet again Wednesday in Ohio.

Mexican centre back Carlos Salcedo, along with forward Ifunanyachi Achara, is in health and safety protocols. Fellow defender Chris Mavinga, a French-born Congolese international, is dealing with a leg injury that forced him out of Saturday's game at BMO Field in the 29th minute.

"Like many people around the world, we're still dealing with some parts of protocols when you get in these situations," said Toronto coach Bob Bradley. "So yeah, we're down on guys and numbers. But the key is the response of the rest of the guys, the mentality. In these situations, we still believe that we've to go there with belief and confidence, play football, move the ball quickly, do the things that we work on every day."

Shane O'Neill and Lukas MacNaughton will likely fill the void on the backline.

Defence has been hard to come by for the Canadian MLS teams this season. Vancouver is conceding 2.13 goals a game on average, compared to 2.11 for Toronto and 2.0 for Montreal.

Contrast that with East-leading Philadelphia, which is yielding a stingy 0.67 goals a game.

Toronto has not kept a clean sheet in its last 17 league outings, since Sept. 26 when it drew 0-0 at Colorado.

On the plus side, sort of, nine of the 17 goals it has conceded this season came in two outings (a 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls in TFC's home opener and a 5-4 road defeat at New York City FC).

Toronto (3-4-2) is also without the injured Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty (knee) and Noble Okello (lower body). Jacob Shaffelburg is questionable.

Cincinnati (3-5-1) is missing Allan Cruz, Ray Gaddis, Alec