Inter Miami CF (15W-4L-5D, 50 points) earned a comfortable 3-1 win at Chase Stadium tonight over Toronto FC to carry the team's positive momentum forward this regular season. Royal Caribbean Icon of the Match winner Federico Redondo shone on the night with a brace, registering his first two goals for the Club as well as an assist, while Diego Gómez netted the team’s other goal and registered an assist. The Club returns to the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings with a total of 50 points from 15 wins, five draws and four losses.
Notably, Drake Callender and second-half substitute Robert Taylor made Club history on the night by becoming the first Inter Miami players to reach 100 appearances across all competitions for the Club.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami took the field with several changes to the team’s starting XI from its last match against Cincinnati. Callender started in goal; Ian Fray, Sergii Kryvtsov, Tomás Avilés and Jordi Alba formed a backline of four; Redondo, Matías Rojas and Yannick Bright lined up in midfield; Julian Gressel, Gómez and Leonardo Campana led the team’s attack.
Match Action
The first half at Chase Stadium presented a balanced 45 minutes with both sides defending stoutly and generating few opportunities in attack.
Right when it seemed as if the hosts would close the half scoreless, Inter Miami found the back of the net in the 43rd minute. Redondo sent a great ball over the top to the run of Gómez, and the Paraguayan calmly touched it down and blasted a powerful strike past the goalkeeper to give Inter Miami the 1-0 lead. The goal was the third for Gómez this regular season, while the assist was the third for Redondo in 2024. Callender was then called into action minutes later, making an amazing diving save on a dangerous shot left-footed by Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi to preserve the lead heading into halftime.
The second 45 minutes presented a plethora of attacking opportunities for both sides, but it was the hosts that added to the scoring once again. In the 53rd minute, a delivery into the box from Gressel saw Redondo head the ball into the back of the net to extend the lead to 2-0. The goal was Redondo's first for Inter Miami.
Inter Miami didn’t take long to capitalize on its momentum with another goal of its own, with Redondo making the scoreline to 3-0 in the 59th minute. A great team play orchestrated Inter Miami’s third goal of the night; Gressel first served a beautiful long pass from the right wing to Gómez at the far post, where he calmly played a ball back across goal for Redondo at the center of the box with his first touch. The Argentine midfielder then finished with a first-time, left-footed finish to send the ball to the back of the net. The goal was Redondo’s second for the Club, while the assist was Gómez’s sixth on the season in MLS, and the secondary assist brought Gressel’s tally up to 12 in league play and 14 across all competitions in 2024.
Toronto struck next, with midfielder Derrick Etienne Jr. scoring the final goal of the game in the 80th minute.
The final minutes saw the hosts retain the 3-1 lead to register a win and claim all three points in the team’s return home. The victory saw Inter Miami reclaim its lead atop the Supporters’ Shield standings after 24 matches with a total of 50 points from 15 wins, five draws and four losses.
Next Match
Inter Miami is set to close out the week with a second home fixture this Saturday, July 20, when it hosts Chicago Fire FC at Chase Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Stats
Possession:
MIA - 52%
TOR - 48%
Shots:
MIA - 10
TOR - 8
Saves:
MIA - 3
TOR - 1
Corners:
MIA - 2
TOR - 5
Fouls:
MIA - 18
TOR - 11
