Inter Miami CF (6-12-3, 21 points) will look to bounce back after a midweek loss when the team travels to face 2019 MLS Cup finalist Toronto FC (12-4-5, 41 points) for the first time in its second to last regular season match. The game at Rentschler Field will kick off on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Regional fans will be able to watch the game live on MyTV33, the free Inter Miami App, and the Univision 23 App, as well as listen on Spanish radio via Univision Miami’s WQBA 1140 AM and the Uforia App. Fans worldwide can also tune in to live commentary on the Club’s App. Download and Register your Profile here: https://www.intermiamicf.com/en/club/app.
"We have to be positive because we're fighting to advance to the playoffs,” said manager Diego Alonso. “To be here with a possibility to qualify for the playoffs with two matches left after a very difficult year is very positive. Hopefully we can play well and be in the playoffs at the end of the regular season."
Sunday’s fixture will be Inter Miami’s final regular season away match and its first-ever matchup against Toronto FC. With two games remaining in the team’s inaugural regular season, Inter Miami is still in the playoff hunt, currently sitting just one spot below the playoff line on the Eastern Conference table.
Inter Miami is coming off of a tough 2-1 loss on the road in a tight midweek match against FC Dallas. The match saw Inter Miami line up with all three Designated Players in the starting XI for the first time, as the trio of Gonzalo Higuaín, Matías Pellegrini and Rodolfo Pizarro had only featured together in a 23 minute cameo at the end of the team’s Oct. 3 matchup with NYCFC. The trio combined to score the team’s goal in the game with Pizarro scoring after an assist from Pellegrini and Higuaín. The goal was Pizarro’s fourth of the season, tied for the second-most on the team, while Higuaín and Pellegrini registered their second and fourth assists, respectively. The match saw defenders Andrés Reyes and Leandro González Pirez get yellow cards, and they will miss Sunday’s game due to yellow card accumulation.
Inter Miami midfielder Jay Chapman could face his former side in the match over the weekend. Chapman developed as a player in the Toronto FC academy and later signed a Homegrown player contract with the first team in 2015 before going on to make 79 league appearances over five seasons. Overall, he registered six goals and five assists during his time with the team, winning both the Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup in 2017 in the process as well.
The matchup could also feature a series of reunions for players of both sides; most notably, numerous members of Inter Miami’s inaugural roster have been teammates with Toronto FC players Michael Bradley and Omar González at the club or international level. Inter Miami players Juan Agudelo, Brek Shea, Ben Sweat and Wil Trapp have shared the pitch with Bradley as teammates on the U.S. Men’s National Team, including when Agudelo won the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup alongside the Toronto FC captain. Meanwhile, González has been teammates with Agudelo, Shea and Trapp on the USMNT, including the same 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup winning side alongside Agudelo and the 2013 Concacaf Gold Cup winning side with Shea. Additionally, A.J. DeLaGarza and Pizarro played alongside the Toronto defender at club level; DeLaGarza was González’s teammate at the LA Galaxy from 2009 to 2015, winning three MLS Cups (2011, 2012 and 2014) and two Supporters’ Shields (2010 and 2011) in that period, while Pizarro and González were teammates at LigaMX side C.F. Pachuca in 2016, helping the team clinch the LigaMX Clausura 2017 title while playing under Inter Miami manager Alonso.
Several other Inter Miami players could face former teammates, or current teammates, at club or international level in the upcoming match against Toronto: defender/midfielder Christian Makoun was teammates with midfielder Erickson Gallardo at Venezuelan first division side Zamora F.C. from 2016 to 2019, left back Mikey Ambrose was teammates with midfielder Richie Laryea at Orlando City B in 2016, Agudelo and Trapp have been teammates with attacker Justin Morrow on the USMNT (with Agudelo winning the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup as Morrow’s teammate), Federico Higuaín and Trapp were teammates with forward Patrick Mullins at Columbus Crew SC from 2018 to 2019 and midfielder Blaise Matuidi shared the pitch with goalkeeper Quentin Westberg at Ligue 1 side ES Troyes AC during the 06/07 campaign.
Additionally, despite the fact that the teams will be facing each other for the first time, Inter Miami Designated Player Pizarro has previously clashed and found success against Toronto FC. The midfielder scored against them in the first leg of the final of the 2018 edition of the Concacaf Champions League to help his former side C.D. Guadalajara win the title.
Lastly, the game against Toronto could be a historic one for midfielder Victor Ulloa, who could register his overall 200th MLS appearance.
Toronto enters Sunday’s match following two consecutive defeats; first falling 5-0 on the road against the Philadelphia Union and subsequently being defeated by NYCFC 0-1 at home in their last game. The team currently sits second in the Eastern Conference table having clinched a spot in the playoffs, compiling a record of 12 wins, five draws and four losses in the 2020 regular season. This campaign, Toronto has been led by midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo, who has tallied eight goals and 10 assists, and forward Ayo Akinola, who has registered eight goals so far this season.
