MLS Preview: Toronto FC Make a Final Push for Playoff Spot as Inter Miami Aim for Regular Season Points Record

On October 6th at 7:30 PM, the 36th round of the MLS regular season will see Toronto FC host Inter Miami.

This is the final game of the regular season for Toronto FC. Currently, with 37 points, Toronto FC stands 9th in the Eastern Conference of the MLS, holding an edge over Philadelphia Union and D.C. United, who both have 37 points but only 9 wins each, thanks to their 11 victories. However, both Philadelphia and Washington have one fewer game played than Toronto FC, so Toronto’s fate is no longer entirely in their own hands.

This season, Toronto FC has shown a clear win-or-lose pattern at home (7 wins, 9 losses) in the regular season. In fact, losing three out of their last four home games has significantly dampened Toronto FC’s morale, especially the 1-3 defeat against direct playoff contender D.C. United at home. The defensive efficiency of Toronto FC at BMO Field has affected their performance, conceding 31 goals in 16 home games, averaging nearly 2 goals conceded per game, with six games conceding 3 or more goals.

With 68 points after 32 rounds, Inter Miami has secured the top spot in this season’s MLS regular season two rounds ahead of schedule. Their next goal is to win both remaining games to break the record for the highest points in an MLS regular season set by New England Revolution in the 2021 season—73 points.

For Inter Miami, this season has been fruitful, losing only 4 out of 32 games, setting a team record for the fewest losses in a season; they have scored 72 goals so far, undoubtedly leading the league in terms of offensive power. On both offense and defense, Inter Miami can be considered the best-performing team in the MLS this season. Martino’s team has performed well in recent away games, remaining unbeaten in the last four away matches (2 wins, 2 draws), aiming to maintain this unbeaten streak in the final away game of the regular season.

In terms of personnel, Toronto FC is facing injury concerns: Insigne, Wenger, and Gomis are all suffering from hamstring injuries, Charlie Sharp missed the game against New York Red Bulls due to a calf injury, and Bernardeschi received a red card in the previous round and will be suspended for this match. On the Inter Miami side, David Martinez missed their previous games due to a right adductor strain, Dos Santos is still dealing with a hand issue, Sunderland (hamstring) and Alphonso (groin) need more time before returning, while Ferreira and Farias continue to battle anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Given that the regular season championship is already secured, Martino may rest Messi for this game.

Inter Miami has won 8 out of the last 9 games against Toronto FC, with their most recent victory at BMO Field occurring in October 2022. For this game, Inter Miami is in high spirits and is expected to put on another good performance.

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