Inter Miami will take on Toronto FC in MLS at the Chase Stadium on Sunday.
Inter Miami return to Major League Soccer action this weekend with a point to prove and history in their favour, as they host winless Toronto FC at Chase Stadium in gameweek seven. Fresh off a narrow defeat to Los Angeles FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Herons will aim to quickly rediscover their rhythm and extend their red-hot domestic form with a fifth consecutive MLS victory.
Despite the midweek setback in continental competition — a 1-0 loss to LAFC—Javier Mascherano’s side remain in high spirits heading into Sunday. Miami sit top of the MLS standings and Eastern Conference, despite having played one game fewer than the rest of the pack. A fifth straight league win would not only consolidate their lead but also signal that their focus remains sharp across multiple fronts.
A key strength for Miami has been their unwavering attacking threat. No team has managed to keep them off the scoresheet since May 2024, a goalless draw against Orlando City. Since then, the Herons have scored in 28 consecutive competitive matches, including last year’s playoffs — a streak they will be confident of extending to 29 games against a Toronto side leaking goals.
The presence of Lionel Messi only amplifies that belief. The Argentine icon has scored in back-to-back 2-1 victories over Atlanta United and Philadelphia Union, with his goal against the latter coming a mere two minutes after coming on. Messi’s form, combined with the creative fluency of Miami’s midfield and the movement of supporting forwards, makes them a formidable force at home.
Their last league outing marked Miami’s fourth straight MLS win, matching a streak from September 2023. Back then, they dispatched Toronto 4-0 in one of the matches that defined their late-season surge. A repeat performance this weekend would see Miami achieve five consecutive regular-season wins for the first time since that dominant stretch.
It has been a grim start to 2025 for Toronto FC, who arrive in Florida still chasing their first league win of the campaign. Robin Fraser’s men have taken just two points from their opening six games, with four defeats and a pair of draws underscoring a sluggish start. Defensive frailty remains their Achilles’ heel — no team in MLS has conceded more goals (12) so far this season.
Going forward, things are hardly brighter. Toronto’s six goals scored places them among the league’s least productive attacks, trailing all but New England Revolution and Montreal, who have only found the net three times each. Their inability to sustain attacking phases or mount consistent pressure has left them exposed time and again — something Miami will look to exploit mercilessly.
To their credit, the Reds finally earned their first clean sheet of the season in last weekend’s goalless draw with Vancouver Whitecaps, but holding back a Messi-inspired Miami side at Chase Stadium presents a much sterner test.
Toronto’s head-to-head record does not offer much comfort either. Since their March 2023 win over Inter Miami, they’ve gone on to lose four straight meetings by a combined scoreline of 12-5. In fact, Miami have claimed victory in nine of the last 10 encounters, with Chase Stadium proving an especially unhappy hunting ground for the visitors. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Miami
Inter Miami face a few personnel concerns ahead of Sunday’s clash, though the core of their squad remains intact. Marcelo Weigandt is dealing with a hamstring issue and will be assessed ahead of kickoff, but he remains a doubt. Meanwhile, Tadeo Allende, David Martínez, David Ruiz, and Ryan Sailor are all expected to miss the match due to injury, reducing the depth available to manager Javier Mascherano.
Despite those absences, all eyes will naturally be on Lionel Messi, who continues to be a game-changer. The Argentine icon needed just two minutes off the bench to find the net in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Philadelphia Union, taking his tally to three goals in the league this season. Notably, Messi has either scored or assisted in every MLS appearance thus far in 2025, underlining his influence and likely importance once again on Sunday.
Interestingly, while Messi and Luis Suárez have three goals combined between them, it is Telasco Segovia who leads Inter Miami’s scoring charts with three goals, including some crucial strikes against Canadian opposition — form that may continue against Toronto.
Inter Miami are expected to set up in a 4-4-2 formation. In goal, Oscar Ustari will retain his place, protected by a back four of Ian Fray at right-back, Maximiliano Falcon and Tomas Aviles at centre-back, and Jordi Alba on the left. In midfield, Robert Taylor and Telasco Segovia will occupy the wide areas, offering width and attacking support, while Federico Redondo and Sergio Busquets will operate as the central pairing, providing balance and control in the middle of the park.
Up front, the strike partnership will consist of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, with both veterans capable of interchanging roles, dropping deep to create or running off the last defender. Their understanding and link-up play will be key to breaking down a vulnerable Toronto defence.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Ustari; Fray, Falcon, Aviles, Alba; Taylor, Redondo, Busquets, Segovia; Messi, Suarez
FC Toronto
Toronto FC head into Sunday’s match-up with several key concerns on the injury front. Matty Longstaff is nursing an ankle issue, while Zane Monlouis is recovering from a knee problem—both players will be evaluated closer to kickoff to determine their availability. However, the Canadian side are unlikely to have Richie Laryea or Kevin Long fit in time for the trip to Chase Stadium, with both still sidelined due to ongoing fitness concerns.
There are no suspension issues for Robin Fraser to manage, but squad depth remains limited, particularly in defence and central midfield. With goals hard to come by for Toronto this season, the attacking burden will again fall on Deandre Kerr, who stands as the club’s top scorer so far with more than one goal to his name — an unfortunate reflection of the team’s struggles in front of goal.
Toronto FC are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Veteran goalkeeper Sean Johnson will start between the posts, behind a back four consisting of Kobe Thompson at right-back, Sigurd Rosted and Nicksoen Gomis in central defence, and Raoul Petretta operating at left-back. The double pivot in midfield will see Alonso Coello partner Jonathan Osorio, tasked with shielding the defence and initiating transitions.
In the attacking third, Federico Bernardeschi will look to influence the game from the right wing, with Lorenzo Insigne cutting in from the left and Tyrese Spicer occupying the central attacking midfield role. Up front, Ola Brynhildsen is expected to lead the line, though Toronto will need to find a higher level of fluidity and end product if they are to trouble Inter Miami’s backline.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Johnson; Thompson, Rosted, Gomis, Petretta; Coello, Osorio; Bernardeschi, Insigne, Spicer; Brynhildsen
Ways to Watch
Key Stats
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Inter Miami have scored in 28 consecutive matches across all competitions since May 2024, the longest active streak in MLS.
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Toronto FC are winless in all six MLS games this season, with four losses and two draws—the worst start among Eastern Conference sides.
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Lionel Messi has scored or assisted in every MLS appearance this season, tallying 3 goals despite limited minutes.
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Toronto have conceded 12 goals so far, the most in the Eastern Conference, while only two teams have scored fewer than their 6 goals.
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Inter Miami have won 4 straight games against Toronto, scoring 12 goals and conceding just 5, including a 4-0 victory in their last meeting.
Player to Watch
Lionel Messi
Messi needed just two minutes off the bench to score against Philadelphia Union last weekend, further underlining his uncanny ability to influence matches with minimal time and space. That goal was his third of the 2025 MLS season, and remarkably, he has either scored or assisted in every league appearance so far, reinforcing his status as the league’s most decisive player.
His chemistry with Luis Suarez, intelligence in tight areas, and trademark ability to drop deep to dictate play make him nearly impossible to contain for 90 minutes. Against a struggling Toronto FC defence that has conceded more goals than any other side in the Eastern Conference, Messi could feast — and in front of a packed Chase Stadium, few would bet against him extending his scoring streak.
Prediction
Inter Miami 3-1 Toronto FC
With form, momentum, and home advantage all firmly in their corner, Inter Miami will be overwhelming favourites to extend both their winning streak and their scoring run. Toronto have shown few signs of life so far, and anything less than a perfect performance may see them swept aside once again. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Javier Mascherano and his charges.
