Inter Miami looked to get back to winning ways on Wednesday by playing at home against Toronto, despite being without star player Leo Messi, who is out with an ankle injury.
In the end, the Miami team achieved its objective with great defensive work and great efficiency in attack to take a good victory 3-1, to the delight of its unconditional spectators who once again filled the Chase Stadium.
With this victory, Inter Miami (15-5-4) regained the lead in the Eastern Conference with 50 points, two more than Cincinnati, which fell 1-0 to the Chicago Fire.
Messi was seen in the stands at the stadium in Fort Lauderdale supporting his team with an orthopedic boot on his right foot, but coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino did not provide any further information on his condition.
“I read from the medical report that he has an ankle injury and that is the information,” Martino said. “He will be evaluated week by week and we will see how he recovers without taking any risks. He is in the hands of the doctors and that is all I can say.”
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For Miami, Paraguayan Diego Gomez (43′) and Federico Redondo (53′ and 59′) scored.
Redondo was the best player of the match not only for his two goals but also for his great work in the midfield, mainly in the defensive sector.
“Fede improved over time and it was necessary that a right-winger scored 2 goals,” Tata said.
“In the second half, he positioned himself better and controlled the game. Our goal is for him to help in the midfield, give us balance, and participate in the attack.”
Derrick Etienne Jr. (79′) scored for Toronto.
The pink-black club has won six of its last seven matches in this mini-cycle without the internationals who participated in the Copa América.
In the first half Toronto was better, but in the second Miami gave them a beating so the result is more than fair.
Martino made a couple of changes to the starting eleven due to Sergio Busquets’s suspension and Messi’s injury.
He lined up with Drake Callender, Ian Fray, Tomas Aviles, Sergii Kryvtsov, Jordi Alba; Redondo; Jannick Bright, Matias Rojas; Julian Gressel, Leonardo Campana and Gomez. He left Luis Suarez off for the second half.
“Those who remain have to face the challenge, they have understood and know what they have to do,” said the Miami coach. “The team is understanding the needs according to how the opponent plays.”
The first half ended 1-0 in favor of Inter Miami, who were not better, but more effective, and that is what matters.
Toronto had more of the ball (59.8%) and shot more (5-2), but it was Miami that came out on top with its only shot.
The first 15 minutes were spent studying and the first shot of the match came in the 17th minute from Toronto, a tame shot from Lorenzo Insigne into the hands of Callender.
In the 27th minute, Federico Bernardeschi left Kryvtsov in the gutter and went alone against Alba, who was marking Deandre Kerr, who finally headed the Italian’s pass wide.
After half an hour of play, Inter Miami, despite defending well, still had no shot on goal. In the 31st minute, Kryvtsov left injured and Noah Allen replaced him.
Toronto dominated and was better, but in the 43rd minute, everything changed with the 1-0 for the pink and black club.
Gomez made a run into space and received a great through ball from Redondo, then, entering the area, unleashed a right-footed shot that pierced the Canadian team’s goal and gave Miami the lead.
Bernarsdeschi ended the first 45 minutes with a left-footed shot into the corner where Callender excelled to clear it out for a corner and nothing happened in the 5th minute of injury time, although Miami was better.
The home team came out better in the second half, with more control, more personality, and more danger, so much so that in the 53rd minute they made it 2-0, after a foul on Fray on the right of the area.
Gressel drew a free kick to the far post where Redondo came in, hovering in the air to unleash a splendid header into the net to extend the lead.
Three minutes later, at 59′, the score was 3-0 in a great play by Miami that began with another great cross pass from Gressel to Gomez who masterfully finished it off and left it open for Redondo, coming in like a forward, to score his double with his left foot.
At 61′, Suárez came on for Campana and Chase Stadium greeted him with a resounding ovation, and Inter Miami began to give Toronto a run for its money. Only another great shot from Bernardeschi managed to trouble Callender.
But Miami caught the infection, took their foot off the accelerator and it cost them dearly, so much so that at 79′ Derrick Etienne Jr., alone from the left, fired a cross-shot that Callender could not stop to bring Toronto closer to 3-1.
Then came the changes and towards the end Inter Miami created five nice plays that deserved better luck, but the important thing was that they got away with it by taking a big win.
