Football

Inter Miami Falls 1-2 at Home Despite Another Goal from Lionel Messi

  • Authored By: Sports Now
  • Updated Aug 23, 2026, 11:32 IST

Inter Miami fell to Toronto with a score of 2-1, even with a goal from Lionel Messi, marking five matches without a win.

Inter Miami Falls 1-2 at Home Despite Another Goal from Lionel Messi

Inter Miami's struggles continued on Saturday as they faced Toronto FC, suffering a 2-1 defeat that extended their winless streak to five matches. The game, held in Miami, saw Toronto take the lead early in the second half, with Josh Sargent scoring in the 59th minute. Just three minutes later, Derrick Etienne Jr. doubled the advantage, contributing significantly to the first goal as well.

Despite a late surge from Inter Miami, which included a goal from Lionel Messi in the 82nd minute, the team could not secure an equalizer. Messi's goal, his 14th of the season and the 64th in his career, came from a brilliant through ball delivered by fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul. Miami's efforts to level the score in the final minutes were thwarted by Toronto's defense, with goalkeeper Luka Gavran making two crucial saves. In contrast, Inter Miami's Dayne St. Clair did not register a single save throughout the match.

Miami's Ongoing Struggles

The loss leaves Inter Miami with a disappointing record of four defeats and one draw in their last five matches across Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Leagues Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage. The team has struggled particularly in August, posting a record of 0-2-2. Despite these challenges, Miami remains in second place in the MLS Eastern Conference, although they are now seven points behind the leaders, Nashville SC, who have a game in hand. The Chicago Fire, led by Robert Lewandowski, are closing in on Miami, now just three points behind after a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls.

Toronto's Resurgence

On the other hand, Toronto FC's victory marked a significant turnaround, as they improved to 2-0-2 in their last four matches and 2-1-4 since July 1. This win was particularly notable as it was Toronto's first victory in Miami, although Inter Miami had previously defeated them 4-2 in May. The all-time series still favors Miami, who leads with a record of 9 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws against Toronto. In other Eastern Conference action, Orlando City secured a spot in the MLS Cup playoff positions with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake, highlighted by a brace from French star Antoine Griezmann, who recently joined from Atletico Madrid.

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