Miami beats Toronto to take top spot in MLS
Federico Redondo scored his first and second MLS goals and assisted on another as short-handed Inter Miami CF posted an impressive 3-1 victory over visiting Toronto FC on Wednesday night.
Diego Gómez also had a goal and an assist and Julian Gressel contributed his 13th and 14th assists to move into second on the MLS leaderboard — in front of injured teammate Lionel Messi.
Drake Callender made three stops as Miami (15-4-5, 50 points) won its fifth out of six and moved back above FC Cincinnati atop the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings.
Cincinnati routed Miami 6-1 in the Herons’ previous game, but has lost two in a row since including a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday night at home to Chicago Fire FC.
Derrick Etienne Jr. pulled a goal back late for Toronto (8-14-3, 27 points), which has lost seven out of eight. First-year coach John Herdman’s side began the night in eighth place and in possession of the first wild-card slot in the East, but is winless in its last seven away matches in MLS play, a stretch dating back to late April.
Miami’s five wins out of six have all come without Messi, who was on duty for Argentina during their Copa America title run and picked up an ankle ligament injury in Sunday’s Copa final that will keep him out indefinitely.
On Wednesday, midfielder Sergio Busquets was also absent due to a red-card suspension. And center back Serhiy Kryvtsov exited with an injury in the 35th minute.
Toronto began like the team closer to full strength, with Lorenzo Insigne rushing the game’s first clear chance in the 17th minute and Deandre Kerr wasting some wonderful setup work from Federico Bernardeschi in the 27th.
The Reds were punished 16 minutes later when Redondo spotted Gomez with a through ball from midfield. Gomez angled his run to remain onside, then drove a strong finish through goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
Redondo made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute when he reached an outswinging set-piece service from Gressel on the right and powered his back-post header into the top left corner.
His second and Miami’s third came six minutes later from another cross from Gressel from the right, though it was Gomez providing the final layoff.
