Messi’s Magic Not Enough as Inter Miami Embarrassed by MLS Strugglers Toronto

  Despite Lionel Messi finding the net, Inter Miami stumbled yet again on Sunday, held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Toronto FC—one of the worst-performing teams in Major League Soccer this season.   Toronto, languishing in 14th place out of 15 in the Eastern Conference, looked anything but weaklings, twice rattling the post in the opening minutes and exposing Miami’s defensive chaos.

The Canadian underdogs could have easily walked away with all three points.   Controversy erupted in the 39th minute when Messi appeared to open the scoring with a signature strike, only for VAR to rule it out for a questionable foul on Toronto’s Nicksoen Gomis—an incident that left many fans and pundits divided.   Toronto capitalized on the momentum, with Federico Bernardeschi slicing through Miami’s flat-footed defense to put the visitors ahead. Messi quickly responded with a clinical finish of his own, but the Argentine icon often found himself isolated and surrounded, forced to conjure chances alone.   Inter Miami’s lack of structure and overreliance on Messi and Luis Suárez—who botched a clear chance—once again highlighted tactical shortcomings under coach Javier Mascherano, who now faces mounting pressure.   “We disconnected, they punished us,” Mascherano admitted, while defending his side’s effort ahead of their do-or-die clash with LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.   Meanwhile, the MLS saw fireworks elsewhere as former Miami striker Josef Martínez netted a hat-trick in San Jose Earthquakes’ 6-1 demolition of DC United—adding salt to Miami’s wounds.   Is Inter Miami already cracking under the weight of its star-studded lineup?

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