Inter Miami 1-2 Toronto FC: Sargent and Etienne Secure Historic First Away Win Over Herons
Toronto FC earned their first-ever road victory against Inter Miami with a 2-1 win at Nu Stadium, as second-half strikes from Josh Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr. overshadowed Lionel Messi's 14th goal.
Published 23 Aug 20263 min read
Match Summary & Key Milestones
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Toronto FC authored a franchise milestone on Saturday night, claiming their first-ever away victory over Inter Miami CF with an inspired 2-1 triumph at Nu Stadium. Following a tightly contested, goalless opening 45 minutes, a clinical three-minute double from Josh Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr. put the Canadian visitors in commanding control before Lionel Messi's late strike set up a tense finale.
Sargent & Etienne Deliver Quickfire Second-Half Double
After a cagey first half in which Inter Miami dominated possession without breaching Toronto's compact low block, the breakthrough arrived in the 59th minute. Derrick Etienne Jr. slipped a penetrative pass to Dániel Sallói, who squared a low cross into the six-yard box for Josh Sargent to turn home past Oscar Ustari from close range.
Before the hosts could regroup, Toronto struck again three minutes later. In the 62nd minute, Etienne seized on a loose clearance outside the penalty area, dribbled past his marker, and drilled a precise low finish into the bottom corner. The goal marked a major career milestone for Etienne, taking him to 50 career regular-season MLS goal contributions (23 goals, 27 assists).
Messi Strikes Back but Herons Slump Extends to Five Matches
Inter Miami threw numbers forward in search of a route back into the contest. In the 82nd minute, Rodrigo De Paul carved open Toronto's backline with a deft diagonal ball, allowing Lionel Messi to control and lash a clinical left-footed finish into the net for his 14th league goal of the 2026 campaign.
Despite eight minutes of frantic stoppage time and relentless pressure, Toronto FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson and center-back Kevin Long stood resolute to preserve the historic three points. The defeat extends Inter Miami's concerning winless run to five matches across all competitions (four in MLS regular season play).
That struggle affects our mindset, and that is why things sometimes don't go our way. I will say it again, and I always say the same thing: when we are going through a losing streak, the responsibility is mine. Together with the people I work with, we have to build and develop.— Guillermo Hoyos, Inter Miami interim head coach
Match Statistics & Tactical Overview
| Metric | Inter Miami CF | Toronto FC |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 1 | 2 |
| First Half Score | 0 | 0 |
| Possession | 64% | 36% |
| Total Shots | 16 | 9 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 4 |
| Corner Kicks | 7 | 3 |
| Fouls Committed | 11 | 14 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 3 |
Eastern Conference Table & Play-off Picture
Despite the defeat, Inter Miami remain 2nd in the Eastern Conference standings with 39 points, though they lose further ground to conference pace-setters Nashville SC (49 points). For Toronto FC, the landmark away win elevates Robin Fraser's side to 10th place on 24 points, putting them firmly within striking distance of the wild card play-off positions.
Where to watchSee the full watch guidePhotography Credits: Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami CF by WikiPortraits, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.