FORT LAUDERDALE: Lionel Messi was on target but an out-of-sorts Inter Miami were held to a 1-1 draw by strugglers Toronto FC in Major League Soccer on Sunday.
Toronto, winless this season, were full value for their point and created enough chances to have even won the game.
The Canadian side, 14th in the 15th team in Eastern Conference, caused plenty of problems for Miami’s shaky defence and struck the woodwork twice in the early stages of the game.
Theo Corbeanu hit the post with a left-foot shot in the 17th minute and then two minutes later - after a goalmouth scramble, Corbeanu hit the post again.
Miami thought they had found the breakthrough in the 39th minute when Messi worked space to unleash a trademark low drive into the corner from the edge of the box.
But the VAR review ruled that Messi had fouled French defender Nicksoen Gomis as he created room for the shot and the effort was ruled out.
Seven minutes later there was a goal at the other end with Toronto’s Italian forward Federico Bernardeschi twisting and turning inside the box and then poking the ball past Miami keeper Drake Callender.
But the lead did not last long with Messi, found by Telasco Segovia, given too much room on the edge of the box and his pinpoint low drive gave Toronto keeper Sean Johnson no chance.
Toronto came out for the second half in positive mood and went close again early when former Juventus winger Bernardeschi fired wide from a promising position.
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Miami lacked structure and fluency to their play but were dangerous on the break and could have restored their lead when Fafa Picault crossed from the right to Luis Suarez at the back post but the veteran Uruguayan forward lost his balance and his shot from close range was off target.
Too often Messi, who played the full game, was trying to create by himself while crowded out by Toronto defenders but did he test Johnson with a low shot in the 77th minute after working some space for himself.
Bernardeschi threatened again late in the game but was denied by a timely block from Miami’s Argentina defender Tomas Aviles.
Miami return to action on Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final second-leg against Los Angeles FC, trailing 1-0 from the first leg.
Coach Javier Mascherano said his team would be ready for that challenge despite his frustrations with Sunday’s performance.
“In the first half, for 10-15 minutes we disconnected from the game and they scored. Then we started again and in the second half we tried to do something with the substitutes.
“It was a difficult game, people thought that maybe Toronto is not in a good position in the table but they have good quality up front and they played really, really well. We need to think about Wednesday,” he said.
Elsewhere in MLS on Sunday former Inter Miami striker Josef Martinez scored a hat-trick as the San Jose Earthquakes hammered DC United 6-1.
New York City FC suffered a 2-1 loss at home to much-improved Minnesota United who move up to third place in the Western Conference with the win.
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