MLS: Messi scores but Inter Miami's barren run continues with 1-2 loss to Toronto FC
Miami, August 23
Lionel Messi's goal went in vain as Inter Miami slumped to their fourth loss in their last five games, succumbing 1-2 to Toronto FC in their Major League Soccer match on Saturday.
Messi's 14th goal of the season was not enough as Inter Miami stays in second place in the Eastern Conference of the competition with 39 points after 21 games, 10 points away from table-toppers Nashville FC.
After a goalless first half, Toronto managed two goals in the space of three minutes, with Josh Sargent (59th minute) and Derrick Etienne Jr (62nd minute) finding the net. Messi found the net with the help of a through ball from Rodrigo de Paul in the 82nd minute, but the home side failed to find the equaliser.
This is Toronto FC's fifth win in 21 MLS games this season, and they are placed 10th in the points table with 24 points.
It has been a rough few days for Messi, who returned to competition recently after losing his father, Jorge two weeks back. Before this, they suffered two defeats in the Leagues Cup, leading to their exit from the competition before reaching knockouts, and lost to Nashville 4-1 in a battle for the top spot a week back. After a 2-2 draw against Philadelphia Union in midweek, this is their fifth match without a win.
Their last win came way back against San Luis in the Leagues Cup on August 6, and their last MLS win came against Montreal on August 26, making it almost a month since they tasted some success in the MLS.
Speaking after the match, Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos said that the team is "facing a struggle with results that they did not have before" and took full responsibility of their barren run.
"That struggle affects our mindset, and that is why things sometimes don't go our way. I will say it again, and I always say the same thing: when we are going through a losing streak, the responsibility is mine. Together with the people I work with, we have to build and develop things to see if we can turn this around as quickly as possible," he said, as quoted by ESPN.
Hoyos, who replaced Javier Mascherano in April, also said that he had not heard anything from the club's ownership group regarding his job after a recent run of losses. The result looks even bad for Inter Miami, who are battling controversies due to Messi and defender Ian Fray being fined for altercations with the opposition players against Philadelphia.
With this win, Toronto is back in the playoff contention. Speaking to Apple TV after the game, Toronto's goal-scorer Sargent said, "We still have a long way to go, but I think the spirit of this team is that we fight till the end."
"We got a good result against Charlotte a couple of days ago, a good result against New England, and this is a massive win for us. So hopefully we can continue this momentum and keep pushing forward," he signed off.
— ANI
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