Inter Miami vs Toronto FC

Chase Stadium sets the stage for a mouth-watering Major League Soccer match-up between Inter Miami and Toronto FC.

Inter Miami’s superb four-game winning league run without standout forward Lionel Messi ended abruptly last time out as FC Cincinnati humbled Gerardo Martinez’s side 6-1 in a top-table Eastern Conference six-pointer. But the Herons are still within striking distance of a top-table finish, trailing Cincinnati by a single point at the start of this round. Worryingly for Martino, his charges have blown hot and cold across their last three home league outings (W1, D1, L1), with each featuring over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. However, as two of Inter’s three most recent MLS showdowns against Toronto witnessed one side fail to score in matches garnering under 2.5 goals, another high-scoring contest isn’t a foregone conclusion.

On the other hand, Toronto’s humiliating run of six consecutive MLS defeats ended last weekend, courtesy of a hard-earned 2-1 home win against Philadelphia Union, renewing the Canadian team’s hopes of securing a post-season berth. With 10th-placed Montreal only one point behind, the Reds can’t afford to get complacent, especially as they hit the road. Only two Eastern Conference sides have picked up fewer away points than Toronto’s nine this season (W2, D3, L7), while they’ve averaged the lowest 0.75 goals scored per game. Such a disastrous scoring record highlights the importance of keeping things tight at the back, yet Toronto’s porous backline has conceded an average of 1.91 goals per MLS travel this term.