Inter Miami's Title Dreams Take Hit as Toronto FC Steals Crucial Point in Supporters' Shield Thriller
Inter Miami's three-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday afternoon as they settled for a 1–1 tie with Toronto FC at BMO Field, marking their first fixture since Sergio Busquets announced his retirement.
Despite fielding a formidable starting eleven featuring Busquets, Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba and Rodrigo De Paul, Miami couldn't capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities. Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson delivered an exceptional performance with five crucial saves, including four that denied Messi.
The visitors opened the scoring during first-half injury time when Tadeo Allende connected with an Alba cross, directing his header into the net to put Miami ahead. However, they failed to build upon this early lead. Toronto's Đorđe Mihailović restored parity with an equalizer in the 60th minute.
Miami maintained pressure in the closing stages and nearly secured victory when Johnson made a spectacular diving save from a Messi free-kick, but the visitors had to accept a single point from their travels.
The stalemate means Miami no longer controls their own fate in the Supporters' Shield race and must now depend on results involving Philadelphia Union, San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC to secure consecutive regular season championships.
Here are three key observations from the 1–1 stalemate.
Lionel Messi's Clinical Edge Missing
Messi continues to lead the MLS Golden Boot race with 24 goals and 13 assists, yet couldn't find the net against Toronto. The Argentine superstar fired six attempts while generating 1.47 xG but came up empty-handed.
Despite Toronto providing the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner with multiple opportunities, he couldn't overcome Johnson, who delivered one of the campaign's finest goalkeeping displays against Miami's offensive unit.
Messi approached the contest with a chance to make history; scoring multiple goals would have marked his ninth multi-goal performance this season, establishing a new MLS regular season record. Zlatan Ibrahimović currently owns this distinction with eight such games during his 2019 campaign with LA Galaxy.
While the 38-year-old captain's conversion struggles were notable, Miami lacked sharpness throughout their attacking third. Suárez endured a disappointing outing, managing only one shot attempt and recording just 33 touches, fewer than any other player who featured.
Miami has depended heavily on Messi's goal production throughout the campaign, and if he struggles during the playoffs, it could spell trouble for the Herons.
Optimal Formation Takes Shape
With playoffs approaching, Javier Mascherano has identified his preferred starting eleven, as demonstrated in recent fixtures against New York City FC and Toronto FC.
While the Argentine tactician has consistently relied on his veteran core throughout the season, the supporting cast had remained fluid until recently, with 10 of 11 starters retained from both matches despite the compressed schedule. Only Mateo Silvetti, unavailable due to Argentina U-20 World Cup duties, made way for Allende.
Recent team selections have also revealed a departure from the presumed optimal lineup at season's start, with young talent Baltasar Rodríguez now preferred in left midfield over Telasco Segovia thanks to his direct style and ability to support the forward line.
Meanwhile, De Paul and Busquets returned to their central defensive midfield roles in both contests, moving away from De Paul's recent deployment on the right flank during Miami's injury crisis.
As playoffs approach, establishing consistency around the game-changing star players will prove vital, and Mascherano appears to have reached that stability during this final push for the regular season crown.
Supporters' Shield Battle Intensifies
While the draw extended Miami's unbeaten run to four matches, surrendering two points against an already-eliminated opponent could prove costly in the competitive Supporters' Shield race.
Miami began the day averaging 1.9 points per game, ranking second league-wide, but concluded the afternoon having dropped to fourth in the points-per-game standings.
Their stalemate also left them level on points and matches played with Vancouver, as both teams maintain games in hand over other Shield contenders. However, they trail their Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal adversaries on goal difference.
Despite the setback, the Shield remains a priority for Mascherano.
"Perhaps we squandered an opportunity today to continue climbing, but ultimately it's crucial for us to finish as high as possible when playoffs begin to secure home [field advantage]," the manager explained to Sports Illustrated. "If we can compete for the Supporters' Shield, that's excellent, we'll attempt it. I believe it's essential for us to pursue that goal."
The Herons now turn attention to their final four regular season fixtures, three against teams already eliminated from playoff consideration, hoping to match the pace of other top contenders and become the first club since Columbus Crew in 2008 and 2009 to capture consecutive Supporters' Shield titles.