During the matchup between Inter Miami and Toronto FC, the Herons fell behind 2-0 as a lack of efficiency in front of goal complicated the match, until Lionel Messi stepped up to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Messi scored following a great assist from Rodrigo De Paul, who sent a pass between the lines to leave his Argentina teammate completely open between two defenders to fire a far-post shot into the net.
The goal arrived in the 82nd minute, lifting hope for Inter Miami, who remain on a winless streak but continue to see Lionel Messi stay effective and productive.
Inter Miami struggle for fluidity
Messi‘s involvement grew as the match progressed, largely because Inter Miami wasted possession throughout much of the game. Messi remained the squad’s clearest playmaker: before scoring his goal on a well-finished one-on-one following a top assist from Rodrigo De Paul, he orchestrated the home side’s few attacking link-ups and approaches.
Before his goal, Messi had not seen clear scoring opportunities. The team’s only other dangerous chance came when Luis Suarez inexplicably missed inside the box. However, what little creativity Inter Miami generated originated from Messi and De Paul, who provided the most support alongside him.
Toronto FC did not create much either, but moved faster in transition and capitalized on a brief surge during the match. Josh Sargent—the star of the game—struck a clean left-footed shot for the 1-0 lead before Etienne Jr. extended the margin shortly after.
Both goals arrived within three minutes, exposing the host’s lack of defensive solidity. The defensive struggles forced Messi to drop into midfield at times to receive the ball due to the lack of fluidity in building out from the back. Otherwise, he spent most of the match positioned on the right wing, leaving Suarez and Berterame as central reference points.
The Herons’ slump continues
With the result, the Herons extended their winless streak. While Inter Miami’s last victory came just 18 days ago in a 4-2 win against Atletico San Luis—a match where Messi scored two goals and provided an assist before returning home to say goodbye to his father—the club has struggled across critical MLS and Cup fixtures since.
