Inter Miami defeated Toronto FC 4-0 in a Major League Soccer match on Wednesday, but the victory came at a cost as Lionel Messi was forced off with an injury. Robert Taylor came off the bench to score twice and provide an assist, but all eyes were on Messi’s condition after he left the field in the 38th minute.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had been named in the starting line-up for the first time since August 13, but he looked uncomfortable after just half an hour and was substituted by Taylor. Messi’s departure was met with a groan from the DRV PNK Stadium crowd, but Taylor quickly made himself a hero with a brace and an assist to help Inter Miami to a comfortable victory.
Inter Miami
Inter Miami entered the match against Toronto FC knowing that they needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Herons were sitting in 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings, five points behind D.C. United in the final playoff spot.
Inter Miami made a bright start to the match and took the lead in the 15th minute through Facundo Farias. The Argentine midfielder curled a free-kick into the top corner of the net from 25 yards out.
Inter Miami doubled their lead in the 35th minute through Robert Taylor. The Jamaican forward latched onto a pass from Gonzalo Higuaín and finished calmly past Toronto FC goalkeeper Alex Bono.
Lionel Messi was substituted by Taylor in the 38th minute after appearing to suffer a muscle injury. The Argentine superstar looked uncomfortable after a challenge from Toronto FC defender Omar Gonzalez and was unable to continue.
Despite the loss of Messi, Inter Miami continued to dominate and added two more goals in the second half. Benjamin Cremaschi scored in the 55th minute and Taylor added his second goal of the match in the 75th minute.
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Toronto FC
Toronto FC entered the match against Inter Miami knowing that they needed a win to keep their own playoff hopes alive. The Reds were sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, six points behind D.C. United in the final playoff spot.
However, Toronto FC struggled to create chances against Inter Miami and were largely outplayed. The Reds’ best chance of the match came in the 25th minute when Lorenzo Insigne hit the post with a free-kick.
Toronto FC conceded two goals in the first half and was unable to get back into the match. The Reds conceded two more goals in the second half and were ultimately defeated 4-0.
Impact of Messi’s injury
The impact of Lionel Messi’s injury on Inter Miami’s playoff hopes remains to be seen. The Argentine superstar is the team’s talisman and his absence will be a major blow.
However, Inter Miami showed great character to win 4-0 against Toronto FC without Lionel Messi. Robert Taylor stepped up in his absence scored twice and provided an assist.
Inter Miami also have other talented players in their squad, such as Gonzalo Higuaín, Alejandro Pozuelo, and Blaise Matuidi. If these players can step up and perform in Messi’s absence, then Inter Miami will still have a chance of making the playoffs.
Conclusion
Inter Miami defeated Toronto FC 4-0 in a Major League Soccer match on Wednesday, but the victory came at a cost as Lionel Messi was forced off with an injury. Robert Taylor came off the bench to score twice and provide an assist, but all eyes were on Messi’s condition after he left the field in the 38th minute.
The impact of Messi’s injury on Inter Miami’s playoff hopes remains to be seen. However, the Herons showed great character to win without him against Toronto FC. If Inter Miami’s other talented players can step up and perform in Messi’s absence, then the Herons will still have a chance of making the playoffs.