Football

Inter Miami's Struggles Persist Despite Lionel Messi's Goal in Defeat Against Toronto

  • Authored By: Sports Now
  • Updated Aug 23, 2026, 09:31 IST

Inter Miami suffered a 2-1 defeat at home against Toronto on Saturday, despite a goal from Lionel Messi, marking their fifth consecutive winless match.

Inter Miami's Struggles Persist Despite Lionel Messi's Goal in Defeat Against Toronto

Inter Miami's struggles continued on Saturday as they suffered a 2-1 defeat at home against Toronto FC, marking their fifth consecutive match without a victory. The match, held at DRV PNK Stadium, saw Miami fall behind early in the second half, with goals from Toronto's Josh Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr. in the 59th and 62nd minutes, respectively.

Despite a late resurgence, Miami could not secure a draw. Argentine forward Lionel Messi managed to score in the 82nd minute, taking advantage of a brilliant through ball from his fellow countryman, Rodrigo De Paul. This goal brought Messi's tally to 14 for the season, placing him second in the Major League Soccer (MLS) scoring race, trailing only Dallas's Petar Musa, who leads with 16 goals.

Miami's Recent Performance

Inter Miami's recent form has been disappointing, with four losses and a draw in their last five matches across all competitions, including the MLS and the Leagues Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage. Despite these setbacks, the team remains in second place in the MLS Eastern Conference, although they are now seven points behind the leaders, Nashville SC, who also have a game in hand.

Adding to Miami's woes, the Chicago Fire, led by star striker Robert Lewandowski, closed the gap in the standings after securing a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls. The Fire now sit just three points behind Miami, intensifying the competition for playoff positions.

Orlando City’s Rise

In a contrasting turn of events, Orlando City has surged into playoff contention following a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake. French forward Antoine Griezmann, who recently joined from Atletico Madrid, made a significant impact by scoring twice in the second half. His performance was pivotal in overcoming an early goal from Real Salt Lake's Dominik Marczuk, who had put his team ahead in the 36th minute.

As the season progresses, the pressure mounts on Inter Miami to turn their fortunes around, especially with the playoff race heating up in the Eastern Conference.

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