Home SPORTS MLS Recap: Messi's Goal Not Enough as Inter Miami Held to 1-1 Draw by Toronto FC

MLS Recap: Messi's Goal Not Enough as Inter Miami Held to 1-1 Draw by Toronto FC

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Lionel Messi's goal was not enough as Inter Miami was held to a 1-1 draw by Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, leaving them with a challenge ahead of their CONCACAF Champions Cup match.



Lionel Messi scored a trademark goal, but Inter Miami struggled to hold on for a win, ultimately settling for a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC in Major League Soccer on Sunday. The Toronto side, who are yet to record a win this season, were worthy of their point and created enough chances to have even taken the victory. The Canadian team, currently 14th in the Eastern Conference, posed significant problems for Miami's shaky defense, hitting the woodwork twice in the early stages of the game.


Theo Corbeanu had two close calls for Toronto, hitting the post with a left-foot shot in the 17th minute and then again two minutes later after a goalmouth scramble. Despite these near-misses, Miami thought they had taken the lead in the 39th minute when Messi expertly worked some space to unleash a low drive into the corner from the edge of the box. The goal showcased Messi's skill and precision, but Toronto's determination and resilience ultimately earned them a valuable point.


A potential goal was ruled out for Lionel Messi after a VAR review determined that he had fouled French defender Nicksoen Gomis while creating space for the shot. However, seven minutes later, Toronto took the lead with a well-crafted goal from Italian forward Federico Bernardeschi. Bernardeschi skillfully twisted and turned inside the box before poking the ball past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.

The lead was short-lived, as Messi soon found himself with too much space on the edge of the box, courtesy of Telasco Segovia. He capitalized on the opportunity, unleashing a pinpoint low drive that left Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson with no chance, equalizing for his team.


Toronto entered the second half with a positive mindset and quickly created another scoring opportunity. Former Juventus winger Federico Bernardeschi shot wide from a promising position, highlighting the Canadian team's attacking threat. Meanwhile, Miami struggled to establish a cohesive flow to their play, but they remained a threat on the counter-attack. In one such instance, Fafa Picault delivered a cross from the right to Luis Suarez at the back post, but the veteran Uruguayan forward lost his balance and his shot from close range went off target.


Lionel Messi, who played the full game, often found himself crowded out by Toronto defenders as he attempted to create scoring opportunities on his own. Despite this, he managed to test Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson with a low shot in the 77th minute, having worked some space for himself. As the game neared its conclusion, Bernardeschi posed another threat, but his effort was timely blocked by Miami's Argentina defender Tomas Aviles, helping to secure the 1-1 draw for Toronto.


Inter Miami is set to face Los Angeles FC in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, looking to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg. Coach Javier Mascherano expressed frustration with his team's performance against Toronto FC on Sunday, but remains confident they'll be ready for the challenge ahead. “In the first half, for 10-15 minutes we disconnected from the game and they scored,” Mascherano said, highlighting a crucial moment in the match. Despite Toronto's lower standing in the table, Mascherano praised their quality upfront, saying, “They have good quality up front and they played really, really well.”


MLS Match Highlights

San Jose Earthquakes vs. DC United: Former Inter Miami striker Josef Martinez scored a hat-trick, leading the San Jose Earthquakes to a 6-1 win over DC United.

New York City FC vs. Minnesota United: Minnesota United secured a 2-1 win at home, propelling them to third place in the Western Conference.


Upcoming Matches

Inter Miami vs. Los Angeles FC: The CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal second leg is scheduled for Wednesday, with Inter Miami looking to overcome their 1-0 deficit.
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