Fans cheer Messi as Toronto FC concedes late goal to Miami and misses out on playoffs

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball during second half MLS soccer action against Toronto FC in Toronto on Saturday Oct. 5, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Leo Campana's stoppage-time goal gave Inter Miami a 1-0 win and left Toronto FC's playoff hopes hanging by a thread Saturday.

D.C. United's 2-1 victory at New England later in the day sealed Toronto's fate, eliminating TFC from post-season contention.

Toronto needed a win over Miami in its regular-season finale and help from others to stay alive in the playoff race. And despite Miami holding stars like Lionel Messi in reserve until the hour-mark, TFC could not take advantage. 

Toronto (11-19-4, 37 points) entered weekend play in ninth place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference. The eighth- and ninth-place clubs meet in a wild-card playoff with the winner advancing to face the conference's top seed — Miami in the East — in a best-of-three first-round matchup.

The win in New England moved D.C. United (10-13-10, 40 points) past Toronto, which with an Oct. 19 bye will have to watch the league's final regular-season slate of games from the sidelines. And while the 2024 season represents a step forward from the 4-2-10 debacle last year, TFC will rue missed opportunities.

While other teams picked up the pace in the home stretch, Toronto collected one point out of a possible 15 in its last five games (0-4-1), including three at home. 

And while Toronto led the dance for much of Saturday's game, it lacked a cutting edge — as it has all season, Messi and Luis Suarez arrived with 35 league goals between them, just five fewer than Toronto's entire total for the season.

"We are not as ruthless or as clinical as other teams," said Toronto coach John Herdman. "We see Miami get that one big opportunity, and it's taken."

And how.

Campana started the play, dispossessing Toronto midfielder Alonso Coello. Luis Suarez sent in a well-flighted ball that Campana, finding space between defenders in the Toronto penalty box, controlled with his leg before turning and hammering a shot past goalkeeper Sean Johnson for a highlight-reel winner in the 93rd minute — his eighth goal of the season.

Despite Federico Bernardeschi out through suspension and an ailing Lorenzo Insigne restricted to an 11-minute cameo, Toronto outshot Miami 15-4 (7-2 in shots on target).

"I thought our lads did everything but score. … Same old story," lamented Herdman.

Messi was the main attraction, prompting chants of "Messi, Messi" and turning up the volume when he finally came on in the 61st minute. The 37-year-old Argentine captain drew cheers when he paused to allow a young pitch invader to take a selfie with him in the 86th minute. An older fan did not get the same welcome seconds later when he ran on the pitch.

"It was a wild night. … It felt like a circus," was Herdman's blunt assessment.

Miami (21-4-8) arrived on a high, coming off a 3-2 mid-week win at Columbus clinching the Supporters' Shield that goes to the team with the league's best regular-season record.

Saturday's victory means Miami, with 71 points and a game remaining, is still on track for the league's single-season points record of 73, set in 2021 by New England.

Miami joins the New York Red Bulls (71 points in 2018), Los Angeles FC (72 points 2019), and New England as the only 70-point teams in MLS history. In recording its 11th away win of the season, Miami also tied CF Montreal (11 in 2022) for the most road wins in a single season during the post-shootout era.

Unbeaten in its 10 league outings (7-0-3), Miami last lost July 6 — a 6-1 defeat at Cincinnati.

Miami made 10 changes to the starting lineup that defeated Columbus in a game that mattered.

With first place in the East already secured, Miami coach Tata Martino opted to keep Messi, Suarez and fellow stars Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and goalkeeper Drake Callender among the substitutes to start. With a combined salary of some US$33 million, it made for a big-ticket Miami bench.

But Messi's pink Miami and blue Argentina jerseys, as well as a few from his FC Barcelona era, were on display in the crowd. And all eyes were on the Miami bench rather than the starters when the players came out.

The BMO Field crowd rose and cheered in the 48th minute as Messi left the bench to warm up with the other Miami substitutes.

Messi and Busquets came on to more cheers together. Suarez entered the game 10 minutes later, in the 71st minute.

While Messi's every touch drew a response from the announced crowd of 30,217 — his blocked shot drew aahs in the 68th minute — that was about the only drama in a drab game save the winning goal. 

Messi, who had played the last five games after returning from injury, joins Argentina next for World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela next week during the FIFA international window.

Herdman, missing injured defenders Kevin Long (concussion) and Kosi Thompson (knee), made five changes to his starting lineup, slotting in Kobe Franklin, Nicksoen Gomis, Sigurd Rosted, Matty Longstaff and Coello.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2024.