Inter Miami beats Toronto FC 2-1, moves into fifth place, two spots above playoff line
There was a palpable buzz at DRV PNK Stadium Saturday night as two of the most improved teams in Major League Soccer went toe to toe and jockeyed for playoff position.
Inter Miami continued its stellar home form and held off surging Toronto FC 2-1 to move into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, two spots above the playoff line with eight games remaining.
A crowd of 14,388 – second highest this season – rocked as Miami got goals from Jean Mota and Ariel Lassiter and a resilient defensive effort against one of the hottest MLS teams since the addition of Italian national team players Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi.
Miami, which went 0-5 to start the season and was near the bottom of the table in mid-July, is now in the playoff mix, riding a five-game unbeaten streak. The team has just one loss in its past 12 home games.
The fans (including co-owner David Beckham) celebrated after the final whistle, but coach Phil Neville was not as giddy with the win as one might expect. Neville, who was gone all week in England finalizing his green card, thought the team could have played better and challenged them to do so during his post-game remarks.
“It was a big win,” a subdued Neville said. “I told the players I’ve been away five days and the thing I missed most was the camaraderie, the banter, the togetherness, and I thought they showed that incredibly, but I also thought we set such high standards and we fell below those standards, so I’m a bit disappointed. I think in moments like this you’ve got to keep pushing the level we can play at.”
“We’ve got to play better to get to where we want to get to. It’s non-negotiable. This was our game we got away with.”
He was, however, pleased with goalkeeper Drake Callender and all the defenders, who kept their composure, blocked everything that came their way, and held Toronto’s dangerous attackers in check. Center backs Damion Lowe and rookie Ryan Sailor were relentless, and DeAndre Yedlin and Christopher McVey manned the wings.
“Lowe was the man of the match,” Neville said. “Our fullbacks played against two world class players and were outstanding. Our first round draft pick (Sailor) keeps getting better and better. I think he’s got a massive future. He’s got the qualities I really like. We’ve got a back four that likes playing together. The defense was magnificent.”
Lowe said with 30 minutes remaining, the players in back made a vow to “grind it out.”
“We said this is the biggest game of the season for us, because if the other results go our way we can jump big time, and we know we control our own destiny,” Lowe said. “It was a massive effort from everyone, the players, the coaching staff and the fans. They kept us in the game and we are forever grateful for the result.”
Although it was not Miami’s best performance of the season, the team got the three points, and that is evidence of the team’s evolution.
“We’ve built a culture on and off the field, a brotherhood, being your brother’s keeper, looking out for each other,” Lowe said. “This is a massive club. From day one we wanted to be the top club in the league. Sometimes good teams don’t have good performances and find a way to win.”
Miami scored first in the 24th minute when Mota took a pass from Gonzalo Higuain and launched a long-range shot that Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono couldn’t keep his hands on. It bounced off his hands over his head and into the net.
Insigne tied it up four minutes later, scoring off a rebounded shot from Bernardeschi with a volley from just outside the box.
Lassiter provided the game winner just before halftime. Mota’s free kick went to Alejandro Pozuelo, who lifted a pass to Lowe, who headed it to Lassiter inside the far post. He chested the ball down and pushed it past Bono. Pozuelo, traded to Miami from Toronto in July, was playing against his former team for the first time.
Asked how hungry Miami is to make a playoff run, Lowe smiled and said: “We’re like someone who hasn’t eaten in weeks, that’s how badly we want this. We believe we’re a top team. You look at the quality of players we have, their history. We’ve built a reputation at home that we’re a force to be reckoned with. Step by step, game by game, we’re never settling.”
Lowe added that “we’re not the Inter Miami of last year or the beginning of this year. New identity. We’ve grown so much, getting confidence. Everyone fully fit. Believing in the coach, system and game plan. Everyone is happy from the front office to the guys who fill the water bottles.”
Miami benefited from the fact that Toronto was playing its third game of the week and its players, especially Insigne and Bernardeschi, are not as accustomed to South Florida’s heat and humidity.
“Their energy levels dropped, and it meant we could be really disciplined,” Neville said. “That helped us. We knew it was their third game of the week and the likes of Insigne, (Domenico) Criscito and Bernardeschi had never played two games and then come down and played in this heat. That takes getting used to. We decided from 73 minutes on, we were going to dig in and counterattack.”
With the loss Toronto slipped to 12th place in the East with 30 points and seven games left.
It was two-for-one ticket night Saturday, and fans also got a two-for-one national anthem performance from local singer Emily Kaufman, who got rousing applause after belting out “Oh Canada” and the “Star Spangled Banner”.
Note: Reports out of Argentina Saturday said the World Cup-bound Argentine national team (with Lionel Messi) will play a friendly against Honduras at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 23 or 24. Argentina will then play vs. Jamaica on Sept. 27 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
This story was originally published August 20, 2022 at 11:48 PM.