Toronto FC's playoff hopes officially came to an end Sunday with a 3-1 loss to Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, extending the club's post-season drought to six consecutive seasons.
Substitute Lewis Morgan gave Toronto a late lifeline with a volley from inside the box in the 79th minute, but it was the only one of TFC's three shots on target to find the back of the net as they were unable to mount a comeback.
Atlanta (9-18-6) snapped a six-game winless run at home, while Toronto (9-12-12), which had earned points in four of its previous five MLS matches, was left to reflect on another season that fell short of expectations.
The disappointment was evident in the post-game comments from both head coach Robin Fraser and captain Jonathan Osorio, who acknowledged the frustration of missing out on the playoffs despite stretches of encouraging performances throughout the campaign.
"Disappointment. Disappointment," Fraser said when asked to describe his emotions following the result. "Because we certainly feel like throughout the season at various times we've played well enough to be a playoff team."
Fraser pointed to injuries during the first half of the season as a significant obstacle, but also acknowledged a recurring problem that ultimately proved costly for Toronto.
"I do think that the injuries in the first half of the season really hurt us," Fraser said. "Like I said, it's kind of like how we've been in games. If we give up goals early, it just feels so desperate late in games."
That pattern, according to Fraser, became representative of Toronto's entire season, with the club constantly playing catch-up in its push to remain in the playoff picture.
"It feels like everything has been a must-win for the last 15 games, maybe more," Fraser said. "I think we are better than what we showed at times. I just think too many first halves got us this year."
Osorio shared Fraser's disappointment, particularly given the expectations within the dressing room and the belief that the group had enough quality to compete for a playoff position.
"I'm just very disappointed that we weren't able to make the playoffs this year with the team that we have," Osorio said. "It's a real shame."
The Toronto captain acknowledged there were several factors throughout the campaign that contributed to the club falling short, but felt Sunday's performance was another example of the team putting itself in a difficult position.
"We wanted more out of ourselves, we expected more, and unfortunately we let ourselves down," Osorio said. "And we let the fans down."
Osorio was quick to defend the effort of his teammates, particularly during the closing stretch of the season, but admitted Toronto's inability to avoid falling behind proved costly once again.
"I can say honestly that the players playing gave effort-wise, gave everything," Osorio said. "I think you could see that in the last stretch of these games. But I think today, we let ourselves down going behind. And at the end of the day, we were chasing again and it wasn't enough to come back."
Atlanta established control early and put Toronto on the back foot with three goals from Miguel Almiron, Cooper Sanchez and Alexey Miranchuk.
Almiron opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after playing a give-and-go with Miranchuk before poking the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Luka Gavran. It was Almiron's seventh goal of the season and Miranchuk's eighth assist.
Sanchez doubled Atlanta's advantage in the 40th minute. Almiron was left with space along the left sideline before dribbling toward the end line and finding an unmarked Sanchez near the penalty spot for a one-touch finish.
Miranchuk made it 3-0 in the 51st minute, collecting the rebound after Almiron's long-range attempt struck the post.
Morgan's goal offered Toronto a brief glimpse of hope, but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
The defeat also continued Toronto's difficult history at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the club is now 0-5-5 since October 2017.
For Fraser and Osorio, the immediate focus was on the disappointment of another missed opportunity, with Toronto now facing an off-season of questions about how to turn promising stretches into a consistent playoff contender.
Up next
Toronto FC closes out its season on the road against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
Atlanta United visits New York on Saturday.
—With files from The Associated Press