Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
TORONTO – Leo Campana scored in stoppage time to leave Toronto FC’s playoff hopes hanging in the balance after Inter Miami’s 1-0 win on Saturday.
The Ecuador forward controlled Luis Suarez’s cross with his leg, turned and hammered a shot past goalkeeper Sean Johnson for a highlight-reel winner in the 93rd minute – his eighth goal of the season.
Toronto entered the weekend in ninth place in the East, the final postseason berth available, needing a win over Miami and help elsewhere to keep its playoff hopes alive. The game ended with TFC knowing that a win or a draw by either Philadelphia (in Columbus) or DC United (in New England) later in the day would end its postseason hopes.
Toronto outshot Miami 15-4 (7-2 in shots on target).
It looked like the game was destined to end in a scoreless draw with a lackluster Miami side initially keeping Lionel Messi and other stars on the bench.
The 37-year-old Argentina captain was the main attraction, prompting chants of “Messi, Messi” and turning up the volume when he finally came on in the 61st minute at BMO Field.
He drew cheers when he left to allow a young field striker to take a selfie with him in the 86th minute. An older fan didn’t get the same welcome moments later when he ran onto the field.
With a bye on Oct. 19, Toronto (11-9-4) will have to watch the final series of regular season games from the sidelines.
Miami (21-4-8) arrived on a high, coming off a 3-2 midweek victory in Columbus to capture the Fan Shield that goes to the team with the league’s best regular season record.
The win means Miami, with 71 points and a game remaining, is still on track for the league’s single-season points record of 73, set in 2021 by New England.
With first place in the MLS Eastern Conference already secured, Miami coach Tata Martino opted to keep Messi, Suarez and fellow star Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and goalkeeper Drake Callender among the substitutes to begin with. With a combined salary of around US$33 million, he was made for a big-ticket Miami bench.
But Messi’s Miami pink and Argentina blue shirts, as well as a few from his FC Barcelona days,​​​​were on display in the crowd. And all eyes were on Miami’s bench rather than the starters when the players came out.
The BMO Stadium crowd rose and cheered in the 48th minute as Messi left the bench to warm up with other Miami substitutes.
Messi and Busquets came forward to cheer together. Suarez entered the game 10 minutes later, in the 71st minute.
Although Messi’s every touch drew a response from the announced crowd of 30,217 – his block shot drew aahs in the 68th minute – it was the only drama in a bad game.
Toronto’s lack of forwardness was evident up front, with Federico Bernardeschi suspended and an ill Lorenzo Insigne limited to an 11-minute cameo. However, Toronto offered more in attack than the visitors temporarily.
Miami made 10 changes to the starting lineup that defeated Columbus in an important game.
Messi, Suarez and Busquets did not feature in Miami’s 2-1 win in Vancouver on May 25, disappointing an announced crowd of 51,035 at BC Place Stadium. All three started in Miami’s 3-2 win at Montreal on May 11 before 19,619 at Saputo Stadium.
Messi and Suarez arrived with 35 league goals between them, just five short of Toronto’s total for the season.
Messi, who had played the last five games after returning from injury, next joins Argentina for next week’s World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela during FIFA’s international window.
Toronto was three points behind CF Montreal who had played one less game. Philadelphia and DC United (both 9-13-10) were also on 37 points – trailing TFC on a draw (most wins) – but they also had a game in hand.
The eighth and ninth place clubs meet in an exciting game with the winner advancing to face the conference’s top seed – Miami in the East – in a best-of-three first round matchup.
The best Toronto could do was win Saturday and hope others stumble in the final stretch. But there were more bad than good scenarios.
Toronto coach John Herdman made five changes to his starting lineup, slotting in Franklin, Nicksoen Gomis, Sigurd Rosted, Matty Longstaff and Alonso Coello.
Toronto was also without injured defensemen Kevin Long (concussion) and Kosi Thompson (knee).
Toronto had lost three of their last four league games (0-3-1) and had gone 3-5-1 since a 3-1 loss at Miami on July 17.
Miami was unbeaten in its last nine league games (6-0-3). His last league loss was July 6, a 6-1 loss at Cincinnati.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on October 5, 2024.
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(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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