Lionel Messi found the net, but Inter Miami were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-half Toronto FC in Sunday’s MLS clash.
Toronto, still searching for their first win of the season, put in a spirited display and could’ve claimed all three points after hitting the woodwork twice in the opening 20 minutes. Theo Corbeanu struck the post twice in quick succession, unsettling Miami’s defence early on.
Messi looked to have opened the scoring in the 39th minute with a trademark low finish from the edge of the box, but VAR ruled it out for a foul on defender Nicksoen Gomis during the buildup.
Toronto responded swiftly. In the 46th minute, Federico Bernardeschi showcased quick footwork in the box before slotting past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender to give the visitors the lead.
However, the advantage was short-lived. Messi, picked out by Telasco Segovia, rifled home a precise low shot from outside the box to level the score before halftime.
Toronto remained dangerous after the break, with Bernardeschi going close again. Miami, though struggling for rhythm and structure, threatened on the counter. Luis Suarez missed a golden chance to put them ahead, misfiring from close range after a cross from Fafa Picault.
Despite being surrounded by defenders throughout, Messi continued to test Toronto’s backline and forced a low save from Sean Johnson in the 77th minute.
Late on, Bernardeschi nearly stole it for the visitors, but a crucial block by Tomas Aviles kept the scores level.
Inter Miami now shift focus to Wednesday’s Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final second leg against Los Angeles FC, needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit.
Head coach Javier Mascherano acknowledged his side’s uneven performance.
“For 10 to 15 minutes in the first half, we lost control and they punished us. We tried to react, made changes, but it wasn’t enough,” he said. “Toronto may be low in the standings, but they showed real quality. Now, our attention is on Wednesday.”
Elsewhere in MLS
Josef Martinez bagged a hat-trick as San Jose Earthquakes thrashed DC United 6-1, while Minnesota United beat New York City FC 2-1 away to move into third place in the Western Conference.
