FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Don’t tell Lionel Messi this was a meaningless game for Inter Miami, especially after how he celebrated his goal just before halftime.
Messi squared up in the center of the penalty area, swung his legendary left leg, and found the bottom right corner of the net. He was pumped to say the least – clenching his fists, punching his right arm forward after punching in his goal. He hugged his teammates and pointed his fingers to the sky.
Messi’s celebration was cathartic, and his goal (45’+4’) proved to be the difference in helping Inter Miami secure a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC at Chase Stadium on “Sunday Night Soccer.”
It might have been an MLS regular-season match against a team ranked 14th among 15 clubs in the Eastern Conference. But after Inter Miami lost its first game of the season last Wednesday in Los Angeles, the best player in the world had a little more juice.
Consider it a ramp-up to Wednesday night: Inter Miami will host LAFC in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal matchup. The tournament is one of five trophies Inter Miami will compete for this year, and Inter Miami trails 1-0 on aggregate score.
Messi didn’t score in that game. He scored once before his goal in this game, but it was one of two Inter Miami goals taken off the board after being reviewed by referees. Luis Suarez was found offsides, then Messi tripped an opposing defender before he found the back of the net in the 39th minute.
Shortly after, Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi put a series of crafty moves between three defenders and scored past Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender – making his first start of the season – before the first half ended (45’+2’).
Two minutes later – still in the first half – Messi delivered.
Messi scored his sixth goal of the year, and his 40th in a Inter Miami jersey.
Messi nearly delivered a game-winning assist in the final minute of the match, but Fafa Picault was unable to convert on a short-hopped pass that fell between him and in front of the net.
He played the entirety of the match – after playing the distance against LAFC, and he’ll be expected to again this Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted, which was to win and be in the best shape possible for Wednesday,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the Toronto game.
Messi, Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets — the former FC Barcelona stars being coached by their former teammate in Mascherano — all started and played significant minutes against Toronto despite the upcoming LAFC match.
Messi (37), Alba (36) and Busquets (36) played the distance, but Busquets he won’t play against LAFC after accumulating too many yellow cards during the Champions Cup. Suarez (38) left the match in the 69th minute as a substitute.
“You’re probably asking not only because of the hierarchy, but also because of their age. But these are players who have been playing every three days all their lives. They’re fine. They’re used to it,” Mascherano said of his aging stars.
However, Mascherano was slightly bothered Inter Miami will have one fewer day to prepare for LAFC — who played Saturday night in a 1-0 loss at Houston.
“We are both doing the same competition — I find it strange because they have 24 hours more rest than us,” Mascherano pointed out.
Inter Miami vs. Toronto FC highlights
Lionel Messi goal: Inter Miami 1, Toronto 1
Halftime deficit? More like tied game all over again thanks to Lionel Messi.
Messi squared up a swinging left boot in the 50th minute — two minutes after Toronto scored — to tie this match at 1 apiece just before halftime.
It’s Messi’s sixth goal this season for Inter Miami, and the 40th in his career with the MLS club.
Federico Bernardeschi goal: Toronto FC 1, Inter Miami 0
Just before halftime, Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi has found the back of the net after a crafty series of moves between three defenders and in front of Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender. The score comes during extra time in the first half (45’+2’), resulting in a halftime deficit for Messi and Inter Miami.
Messi’s goal taken off after his foul: Inter Miami 0, Toronto 0
Lionel Messi squared up and fired a goal into the back of the net in the 37th minute, but VAR of the sequence showed Messi committing a foul by tripping a Toronto defender in the box before the score. So, we’re still tied here between Inter Miami and Toronto.
Inter Miami goal disallowed after offside: Inter Miami 0, Toronto 0
Luis Suarez was called offsides after being over the line during a scoring opportunity for Inter Miami. Telasco Segovia found the back of the net after an assist from Suarez, but the goal won’t stand in the 29th minute.
Messi misses shot, Toronto hits post twice: Inter Miami 0, Toronto 0
Lionel Messi missed his first shot of the night in the 20th minute, his left boot flying over the net. Inter Miami should consider itself lucky this is still a tied matchup: Toronto’s Theo Corbeanu hit the post in the 17th and 19th minutes.
How to watch Inter Miami vs. Toronto live stream?
The match is available on MLS Season Pass and Apple TV+.
Is Messi playing tonight?
Messi was announced as a starter in Inter Miami’s lineup for the Toronto match.
What time does Inter Miami vs. Toronto match begin?
The match starts at 7 p.m. ET (8 p.m. in Argentina).
Messi shares MLS Season Pass free trial
Before the Toronto match, Messi shared a one month free trial to MLS Season Pass via his Instagram account. Use Messi’s personal link to redeem the one-month offer: apple.co/MessiGift.
Inter Miami vs. Toronto preview
Inter Miami enters the match after its first loss and its first 10 games of the year across all competitions, following the 1-0 defeat at LAFC last Wednesday. Inter Miami is unbeaten in MLS play and in second place (13 points) in the Eastern Conference after Columbus Crew (15 points) leapfrogged them in the standings following a 2-1 win against Montreal on Saturday. Toronto is 14th among 15 teams in the standings with just two points from two draws and four losses to start the season.
How are Inter Miami, MLS teams doing in Champions Cup?
Major League Soccer has four teams remaining in the Champions Cup: Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, reigning MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The Galaxy will visit Tigres on Tuesday in Monterrey (9 p.m. ET on FS1), after a scoreless draw at home in the first leg. Vancouver will visit Pumas on Wednesday in Mexico City (10:30 p.m. ET on FS1), after a 1-1 draw in the first leg last week.
Liga MX’s Club America and Cruz Azul will settle their scoreless quarterfinal in Leg 2 on Tuesday (11:30 p.m. ET on FS1).
Inter Miami/LAFC would meet the Vancouver/Pumas winner in the semifinal, while Galaxy/Tigres will see America/Cruz Azul.
Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule
Wednesday: Inter Miami vs. LAFC, 8 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions Cup)
April 13: Chicago vs. Inter Miami, 4:30 p.m. ET (MLS)
April 19: Columbus vs. Inter Miami, 4:30 p.m. ET (MLS)
April 26: Inter Miami vs. FC Dallas, 7:30 p.m. ET