Lionel Messi found the back of the net once more for Inter Miami, yet his late strike proved insufficient to salvage a result as David Beckham’s co-owned franchise slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Toronto FC at the Nu Stadium. The loss marks Inter Miami’s fourth winless fixture in Major League Soccer (MLS), continuing a concerning slump in form.
The Herons have struggled for momentum following the recent international break. Across nine fixtures played since 22 July, Miami have managed just three victories, alongside two draws and four defeats. This erratic run included back-to-back losses that saw the club eliminated early from the Leagues Cup. Within league play, Saturday’s setback represents their second defeat in six MLS outings and their fourth overall loss since 8 August.
The opening half in Miami remained tightly contested, with the hosts managing to maintain structural discipline at the back. Neither side managed to break the deadlock before the interval, leaving the score tied at 0-0 heading into the dressing rooms.
However, the dynamics shifted rapidly in the second half as Toronto capitalized on defensive lapses by the home side:
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59th Minute: Toronto striker Josh Sargent converted a clinical finish to break the deadlock and put the visitors ahead.
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62nd Minute: Just three minutes later, Derrick Etienne Jr. doubled Toronto’s advantage with a sharp strike, placing the hosts under immense pressure.
Inter Miami mounted a late resurgence, with Argentine star Rodrigo De Paul setting up Lionel Messi, who slotted home in the 82nd minute to narrow the deficit to 2-1. The goal was Messi’s 14th of the MLS campaign, but the late effort was not enough to spark a full comeback before the final whistle.
The defeat damages Inter Miami’s standing in the Supporters’ Shield race. While they remain in second place within the MLS Eastern Conference with 39 points from 21 matches—built on 11 wins and six draws—they now trail conference leaders Nashville SC by 10 points after Nashville secured 49 points from the same number of games.
