By James Nalton
Inter Miami re-take their place at the top
It feels like Inter Miami still haven’t hit their stride this season, yet they can return to the top of both the Eastern Conference and the overall standings with a win here. And they’ll still have a game in hand on most of their rivals.
Even at this early stage, they look set to successfully defend the Supporters’ Shield they won last season in record-breaking fashion.
Who can stop them? On this early evidence, it seems no one will, at least not in the MLS regular season…
A Champions Cup hiccup
Most of Inter Miami’s early season MLS games have arrived in the context of their involvement in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
That tournament is reaching the business end as Miami face fellow MLS heavyweight Los Angeles FC in the quarterfinals.
LAFC won the first leg in California last week and take a 1-0 lead to Miami for the second leg this Wednesday night (or the early hours of early Thursday morning for those in a European time zone).
That was Inter Miami’s first loss of 2025 and ended a run of seven consecutive wins — an indication of how well they have started the season not just in MLS, but in the Champions Cup, too.
Messi is back, but will he play?
Messi returned to MLS action last week having missed Argentina’s recent World Cup qualifiers through injury.
He came off the bench in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win against Philadelphia Union, scoring what turned out to be the winning goal.
Messi then played the full 90 minutes in Los Angeles in midweek, but his involvement is never guaranteed.
Indeed, LAFC sent a response to some ticket holders informing them that “LAFC cannot guarantee specific player appearances,” which was clearly a reference to Messi.
There’s a chance he might not start against Toronto, as head coach Javier Mascherano will have the important Concacaf game in mind, but you’d imagine he’d make some kind of appearance to maintain some rhythm.
Do Toronto have a chance?
It’s safe to say that Toronto FC’s much-hyped big-name Italian signings have not lived up to expectations.
Despite this, Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernadeschi did not get their reputations by chance and can still be difference-makers on their day.
Toronto also has a goalkeeper, Sean Johnson, who can also put in a matchwinning performance, or at least one that means his team doesn’t lose.
Like many players TFC have signed, Johnson hasn’t shown the form he did at his previous club, in this case New York City FC where he was a key part of a MLS Cup-winning team, but the American, who has 13 caps to his name, was named Man of the Match in Toronto’s draw with Vancouver last week, and will need to put in another standout display in Sunday Night Football.
Prediction
Inter Miami should navigate this game with minimal fuss compared to many of their others so far this season. If Messi is fit and firing, even only for part of the game, then it could be their biggest margin of victory this season so far.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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