Toronto FC (11-18-4, 37 points) host 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami CF (20-4-8, 68 points) at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon. The Matchday 37 encounter in Toronto, Ontario kicks off at 4:00 p.m. ET and can be viewed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
The Reds enter Saturday’s regular season finale in the hunt for their first MLS Cup Playoff berth since the 2020 MLS season. Historically, TFC hold a 2W-7L-0T record through their first nine regular season meetings with the Herons and the Reds will be looking for their first victory against the Eastern Conference’s top seed since March 2023.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Toronto FC welcome the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami CF to BMO Field in their final 2024 MLS regular season match on Saturday afternoon. With seven home wins this season, TFC hold a 122W-91L-77T all-time record (443 points) in MLS regular season matches played on home soil to date.
AN ODE TO THE PAST
Toronto FC host 2020 MLS expansion club Inter Miami CF for the tenth encounter in the all-time MLS series between the two clubs. Historically, TFC hold a 2W-7L-0T record through their first nine regular season meetings with the Herons. The Reds hold a 2W-2L-0T record through the first four home meetings and will be looking for their first home victory against Inter Miami CF since second-half goals from Jonathan Osorio and Mark-Anthony Kaye secured a 2-0 shutout victory on March 18, 2023, at BMO Field.
THE CLIMB CONTINUES
TFC head into Saturday’s match following a 1-4 home result against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday evening. The visitors took a first-half lead from the spot via Emil Forsberg before doubling their advantage through John Tolkin early in the second half. Prince Owusu successfully converted a penalty for the second match running after Richie Laryea was fouled in the penalty area. The 66th minute goal halved the Reds’ deficit to one and marked a team-leading 12th goal of the 2024 campaign for the German striker. New York Red Bulls then added second-half goals through a Lewis Morgan penalty and counter-attack finished by substitute Elias Manoel to seal all three points from BMO Field. Four nights earlier, TFC battled to a 1-1 draw and earned a road point against Chicago Fire FC at SeatGeek Stadium on September 28. The Reds took a late first-half lead when Prince Owusu scored from the penalty spot, marking the German striker’s eighth MLS goal of the 2024 regular season. The Fire equalized late in the second half through, as the two sides settled for a point apiece in the Windy City. The Matchday 35 encounter in Chicago marked a historic milestone in the career of TFC captain Jonathan Osorio. Currently in his twelfth season with his hometown club, the Toronto native made his 300th Major League Soccer regular season appearance for Toronto FC against the Chicago Fire and became the first player in club history to reach the milestone while representing the Reds. Osorio also became only the fourth Canadian-born player to make at least 300 regular season appearances in Major League Soccer history.
FIFTY LOADING
German-born Italian defender Raoul Petretta has currently made 49 MLS appearances for Toronto FC and his next league appearance will be his 50th MLS appearance for the Reds since joining on January 24, 2023. If he features against Inter Miami on Saturday, Petretta will become the eighth active TFC player to reach the half-century mark for MLS appearances joining Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Federico Bernardeschi, Deandre Kerr, Kosi Thompson, Shane O’Neill and Lorenzo Insigne).
Fellow Reds Sigurd Rosted, Sean Johnson and Alonso Coello all made their 50th club appearances (across all competitions) respectively within the past fortnight. Norwegian defender Sigurd Rosted reached the milestone against Colorado Rapids on September 21 while American goalkeeper Sean Johnson and Spanish midfielder Alonso Coello reached the milestone against Vancouver Whitecaps in the Canadian Championship on September 25.
REGULAR SEASON FINALE
Toronto FC enter Saturday’s regular season finale in the hunt for their first MLS Cup Playoff berth since the 2020 MLS season. The Reds currently sit in ninth place, one of two play-in spots, on the MLS Eastern Conference table, three points behind CF Montréal in eighth and ahead of Philadelphia Union (10th) and D.C. United (11th) courtesy of more wins accumulated during the regular season. With TFC the only MLS club out of 29 not scheduled to play a match on Decision Day on October 19, the Reds may face a two-week wait to learn their playoff fate, depending on full-time results in Toronto and elsewhere across the Eastern Conference on Saturday. On the other side, Inter Miami CF clinched the Supporters’ Shield, an award given to the MLS team with the best overall regular season record by the supporters, for the first time in club history following a 3-2 road victory against the Columbus Crew on Wednesday evening. With the result, the Herons secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference along with home-field advantage throughout the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Led by attacking duo Lionel Messi (17 goals, 15 assists) and Luis Suárez (18 goals, six assists) this season, Inter Miami CF (68 points) can set a new MLS single-season points record with wins in their remaining two games against Toronto FC and New England Revolution.
FAMILIAR FACE
Toronto FC’s Aimé Mabika previously spent three seasons (2021 – 2023) with Inter Miami CF. The Zambian international was originally selected 26th overall (first round) by Inter Miami in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft and made a combined 20 appearances across all competitions for the Herons. Mabika made his club debut against the New York Red Bulls on October 9, 2021, before signing a First Team contract with Inter Miami on January 13, 2022. TFC acquired Mabika from Inter Miami in exchange for 2024 General Allocation Money on April 25, 2023, and the defender has made 40 combined appearances across all competitions since joining the Reds.