This is why you give it all until the final whistle. 18-year-old Toronto FC Academy midfielder Myles Morgan walked into a tense situation with his team down 1-0 to New York Red Bulls II on Wednesday night, and momentum wasn't exactly on the Canadians sides in that moment.
On the brink of suffering back-to-back defeats at a critical juncture of the season, TFC II head coach Gianni Cimini shook things up with a pair of substitutions, in the form of academy youngsters, that paid almost immediate dividends.
Both Morgan and fellow Young Red Dékwon Barrow notched critical goals which admittedly made Matchday 21's Rising Star selection tougher than usual as you could make an argument for both.
Ultimately, a game-winner is undeniable and that'll tip the honor in Morgan's favor.
Here's a closer look at the youngster's magic moment:
Cimini spoke about the power of the club’s academy talents in his postgame remarks.
"I was really proud of the boys," he said. "Obviously coming off the bench at 1-0 down and they come in with 20 minutes left, they had the desire to make a difference."
"They came in with a belief to make it up. The likes of Dékwon Barrow and Myles Morgan really haven't had many opportunities. And when they come in, and they both are on the end of the tying goal and winning goal, it was something special for sure."
Wednesday wasn't the first big outing for Morgan in 2023. He notched a hat trick in the TFC Academy's MLS Next U19 tournament in June, which goes to show how dangerous he can be as a starter.
Morgan and TFC II are one of the few teams who will get some rest over the next few days. Most clubs have a flexed schedule with MLS NEXT Pro Matchdays 21 and 22 packed into a span of just five days - but TFC II gets the benefit of extra time off before they return to action hosting New England Revolution II on August 18. You can catch that match and several others on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
