Brawl breaks out after New York City tops Toronto 3-2

TORONTO (AP) — Rookie Malachi Jones and Andrés Perea scored second-half goals and Matt Freese made nine saves as New York City FC held on for a 3-2 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday night with a brawl taking place after the final whistle.

A melee ensued after the match involving players from both sides. Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson, a former New York player, was in the middle of it — seemingly trying to play peacekeeper.

There was bad blood between the two teams dating back to New York’s 2-1 win on March 16 when there was an altercation in the tunnel at halftime at Yankee Stadium.

New York's first-year coach Nick Cushing played down that incident when asked about it prior to the rematch, “There was nothing in it. It was two teams that are fighting for three points.”

Toronto's first-year coach John Herdman and captain Jonathan Osorio had a much different recollection.

Osorio said Cushing crossed the line with his talk in the tunnel and then it got physical.

“Then when we hear that the coach and three of their players corner a 19-year-old (player) of ours, by himself. That’s when there’s a problem,” Osorio said. “And I think that kind of carried over this game, probably from their side as well. … We were just letting them know that we didn’t forget about that.”

Osorio did not identify the 19-year-old but the age fits Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who scored in the 7th minute at Yankee Stadium. Herdman said the player in question “said he got cornered and punched in the face.”

Herdman said there were no repercussions from the March game because “the cameras weren’t working in a certain area of the stadium,” a comment that drew a snicker from his captain.

Cushing denied hitting a Toronto player.

“I can honestly say as head coach — I’ve done 348 games — I’ve never ever laid a finger on a player,” he said after Saturday’s game when apprised of the Toronto accusations.

Herdman, however, also pointed the finger at Cushing.

“You don’t want to see those scenes in football but it’s a passionate group,” Herdman said. “There was definitely some bad blood that spilled over from the first game that involved their head coach.”

Santiago Rodríguez staked New York City (5-5-2) to a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick in the 25th minute. Rodríguez scored for a fourth time this season — sending a right-footed shot to the bottom right corner of the net following a hand-ball foul on Toronto midfielder Matty Longstaff.

NYCFC took a 2-0 lead into halftime on Jones' first career goal. Fellow rookie Hannes Wolf picked up an assist when Jones — a 20-year-old forward — scored in the 44th minute.

Toronto (6-5-1) pulled within a score early in the second half on an unassisted goal by Federico Bernardeschi in the 55th minute. Bernardeschi scored his first two goals of the season last week in a 3-1 victory over FC Dallas.

NYCFC regained a two-goal lead in the 78th minute on Perea's first score of the season. Wolf and rookie Agustín Ojeda notched assists. Ojeda's helper was the first of his career and Wolf's was his third in his first season.

Toronto again pulled within a goal when defender Raoul Petretta found the net for the first time in his career — in the 89th minute — with an assist from Longstaff.

Bernardeschi was tagged with a second yellow card two minutes after Petretta's goal, forcing Toronto to play a man down through stoppage time. Bernardeschi and Kevin Long will miss the next match — Long for yellow-card accumulation.

Freese finished one save shy of matching his career high.

Johnson turned away one shot for Toronto.

Toronto saw a three-match win streak come to an end. Toronto has gone from the worst team in the league last season to third place in the Eastern Conference at the beginning of the day. The club already has 19 points this season after finishing the 2023 campaign with 22.

Lorenzo Insigne saw his first action for Toronto since March 23. Insigne, who had not played since he suffered a thigh injury in a 2-0 win over Atlanta United, subbed in for Derrick Etienne Jr. in the 76th minute and missed his only shot.

NYCFC's win over Toronto in the first matchup earned Cushing his first victory and handed Herdman his first loss

NYCFC leads the all-time series 11-9-7. NYCFC has won the last four in the matchup by a combined 13-3 score.

New York City stays on the road to play the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. Toronto travels to play Nashville SC on Wednesday.

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Toronto FC's Nicksoen Gomis kicks the ball past New York City FC midfielder Hannes Wolf (17) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC midfielder Deybi Flores (20) and New York City FC midfielder Andrés Perea (8) vie for control of the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio (21) forces New York City FC midfielder James Sands (6) to the turf during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC defender Sigurd Rosted (17) falls over New York City FC forward Malachi Jones (88) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC forward Federico Bernardeschi (10) celebrates his goal against NYC FC with midfielder Matty Longstaff (8) and forward Latif Blessing (11) during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC forward Federico Bernardeschi (10) celebrates his goals against NYC FC with midfielder Matty Longstaff (8) and forward Latif Blessing (11) during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)z

Toronto FC forward Lorenzo Insigne (24) moves toward the ball in front of New York City FC defender Thiago Martins (13) during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC coach John Herdman, left, has words with the with officials after the team's MLS soccer match against New York City FC on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC forward Prince Osei Owusu (99) is restrained by team staff members after the team's MLS soccer match against New York City FC on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC coach John Herdman thanks the fans after the team's MLS soccer match against New York City FC on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC forward Prince Osei Owusu (99) is restrained by team staff members after the team's MLS soccer match against New York City FC on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Friday rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to weigh a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten said the wording the legislative council suggested is “packed with emotion and partisan meaning” and asked for what he called more “neutral” language. The measure aims to expand abortion access from 15 weeks to 24 weeks – the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

It would allow exemptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would also prevent the state from adopting or enforcing laws that would forbid access to the procedure.

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, who is a co-chair of the legislative council, said the group will appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

“The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan,” said Toma, a Republican.

Aaron Thacker, communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, noted that the final decision on the ballot itself remains in the air.

“There’s still a lot of scenarios at play," he said. "Even after the secretary certifies the signatures, the courts have to decide if counties can put it on the ballot or not."

Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization leading the ballot measure campaign, sued the council earlier this month over the suggested language and advocated for the term “fetus,” which the council rejected.

Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a motion to submit an amicus brief that “fetus" and “pregnancy” are both neutral terms that the council could adopt.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Arizona voters get to learn more about and weigh our measure in objective and accurate terminology,” said Dawn Penich, communications director for the abortion access group.

Democrats have centered abortion rights in their campaigns in this year’s elections. Organizers in five other states have also proposed similar measures that would codify abortion access in their state constitutions: Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota.

Arizona organizers submitted more than double the amount of signatures needed for the measure to appear on the ballot.

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)