Toronto FC Stun Inter Miami 2-1 as Sargent and Etienne Deliver First-Ever Win in Miami

For 58 minutes, this looked like the usual script in South Florida: Inter Miami had the ball, the crowd had the vibes, and the visitors had a long night of chasing. Then Josh Sargent took one touch at the top of the box and drilled a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner, and the script got tossed in the nearest canal.

Toronto FC beat Inter Miami 2-1 on Saturday night at Nu Stadium, with Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr. scoring three minutes apart early in the second half. Lionel Messi pulled one back in the 82nd minute, because of course he did, but Toronto survived eight minutes of added time to collect their first-ever win in Miami.

A Lot of Pink, Not a Lot of Goals

Miami controlled the first half without ever cracking it open. Germán Berterame, back in the lineup after recovering from an injury he picked up in July, according to the club, had a shot blocked in the 15th minute, and Luis Suárez ran onto a Rodrigo De Paul through ball four minutes later and fired just wide of the right post.

Toronto had their own flashes. Richie Laryea had the ball in the net in the 11th minute, per Toronto's recap, but he was ruled offside. Benjamín Kuscevic's header from a Djordje Mihailovic cross was blocked even earlier.

The hosts also lost Gonzalo Luján to an injury, with Facundo Mura replacing him in the 26th minute. Five minutes later, Casemiro got his head to a ball at the right side of the six-yard box, and Luka Gavran made the stop. Berterame sent a shot high and wide in the 36th minute, Laryea was booked a minute later, and Messi's effort from distance in first-half stoppage time was blocked. Scoreless at the break.

Three Minutes That Flipped Miami Upside Down

Berterame skied another chance in the 49th minute, and the Herons kept probing. Then Miami lost a second defender: Sergio Reguilón went off injured in the 58th minute, replaced by Noah Allen.

A minute later, Toronto struck. Dániel Sallói laid the ball across the top of the area, Sargent took a touch and buried it low into the bottom left corner. ESPN credits Sallói with the lone assist; Toronto's club recap also hands one to Etienne for starting the move.

Three minutes after that, Mihailovic swung in a cross that Dayne St. Clair kicked away, and Etienne pounced on the loose ball, finishing from a tight angle on the right into the bottom right corner. Just like that, the defending MLS Cup champions were chasing a two-goal deficit at home.

Miami had an immediate chance to answer, but Ian Fray missed from very close range off a corner in the 64th minute. Miami used the 73rd-minute drinks break to empty the bench, sending on David Ayala, Dániel Pintér and Lovens Delinois.

The Messi Moment Toronto Survived

Mihailovic nearly ended it in the 81st minute, but his shot from the left side of the six-yard box was blocked. A minute later, De Paul split the Toronto back line with a through ball, and Messi did Messi things, slotting a left-footed finish into the bottom left corner.

That set up a long, sweaty finish. Delinois headed wide in the 88th minute, the fourth official put up eight minutes of stoppage time, and Gavran made his second save of the night on an Ayala drive from distance two minutes into stoppage time. Ayala was booked shortly after, and Toronto saw out the rest.

Who Showed Up

Josh Sargent only needed one clean look. The striker, described by MLSsoccer.com as Toronto's club-record signing, took two shots, put one on target and scored it, his fourth goal of the season. He also drew three fouls, a constant nuisance for a Miami side that spent the night chasing.

Derrick Etienne Jr. was the opportunist, scoring his third goal of the season by reacting first to St. Clair's clearance. Add the assist the club credits him with and it was a goal and an assist in Toronto's eyes.

Luka Gavran did not face a heavy workload, but both of his saves mattered, especially the one on Casemiro from point-blank range in the first half.

Lionel Messi scored on his only shot on target, and De Paul's through ball was a beauty. It just came too late.

The Numbers That Matter

• 61.9 percent possession for Miami, who completed 545 passes to Toronto's 304.
• 3 shots on target apiece. Toronto turned two of theirs into goals.
• Zero saves for St. Clair, against two for Gavran.
• 15 fouls committed by Miami, nearly double Toronto's eight.

What It Means

Toronto are now 5-9-7 with 24 points and unbeaten in four league matches: a draw at New York City FC, a win over New England, a 3-3 thriller against Charlotte on Wednesday and now this. That is eight points from a possible 12. MLSsoccer.com noted Toronto still sit just below the Eastern Conference playoff line, edged by Orlando City on the wins tiebreaker, so there is no time to admire the view. Next up is New York City FC at BMO Field on Aug. 29.

Head coach Robin Fraser praised his group's grit in brutal conditions. "The conditions were quite miserable, quite hot, extremely humid, and guys just dug in, so I'm really proud of the effort," he said, as quoted by MLSsoccer.com.

For Miami, the alarm is getting louder. At 11-6-4 with 39 points, nobody is panicking yet, but they are winless in four: a 2-2 draw with Columbus, a 4-1 loss at Nashville, a 2-2 draw at Philadelphia on Wednesday and now this home defeat. They host CF Montréal on Aug. 29.

Final Whistle

Every sports movie has the scene where the scrappy underdog walks into the champion's house and leaves with the win. Call this Toronto's Mighty Ducks night: two goals in three minutes, then a stubborn stand after Messi answered. For a club that had never won in Miami, that is a result worth framing. "Incredible diligence and awareness and effort," Fraser said, and for once, that was not coach-speak.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quotes as reported by MLSsoccer.com. Additional details from Toronto FC (torontofc.ca), Inter Miami CF (intermiamicf.com) and the AP recap via ESPN.