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After losing their first game of the season to Los Angeles FC in Concacaf Champions Cup play, Sunday is a chance for Javier Mascherano's Inter Miami to bounce back, hosting Toronto FC at home. The Herons will need to balance rotating for Champions Cup play along with their goal to win this game, but considering that the team has been able to flex their depth on multiple occasions this season, it should be possible to do.

Tadeo Allende may not be available for the clash as he bounces back from an injury but with Fafa Picault and Robert Taylor providing attack from the wing, it leaves no shortage of options for Mascherano. With Miami losing to LAFC, Lionel Messi's streak of scoring or assisting a goal in every match that he has appeared in this season also came to an end, but considering that they have been able to win matches without their talisman, it seems more like a blip than the start of a new trend, but only defeating Toronto will show if that is the case.

Here are storylines, how you can watch the match and more:

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Toronto FC, odds

  • Date: Sunday, April 6 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
  • Location: Chase Stadium -- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Live stream: MLS Season Pass
  • Odds: Inter Miami -230; Draw +360; Toronto FC +600

Last meeting

It has been almost a year since Miami and Toronto last met with the Herons winning a narrow clash north of the border 1-0 in May of 2024. These are quite different teams than then, as they even have new coaches for this season. Miami's lone goal scorer, Leonardo Campana, is now with the New England Revolution, so they'll have to look elsewhere if they need stoppage-time magic in the match. 

What the coaches are saying

After losing to LAFC, there were questions about Messi's position because he took up a deeper role than usual to receive the ball. It's the first bump in the road that Miami have hit under the Argentine manager, so how they respond will be telling about how they manage the season as a whole.

"I'm not concerned," Mascherano said. "He's a player who understands the game like no one else. He must be one of the few players in the world who always does what the game asks for. If he's deeper, it's because he's looking for where to receive the ball and where to make an impact."

With how Miami's season has gone so far, there's no reason to believe that the LAFC loss will lead to more in the future, but that's also how great the pressure on Mascherano is. With a team that already set an MLS single-season points record, every loss brings worry that they won't live up to expectations, so that's what he'll be up against despite Miami's strong form so far.

Lineup questions

How much rotation will come into play? It's clear that Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup match on Wednesday is where their focus will lie, but they still have to balance keeping players fresh with doing that. Athletes enjoy rhythm so even if Mascherano gives members of the team full rests, it doesn't mean that they won't experience rust heading into that Champions Cup clash. As Mascherano grows more familiar with his team, he'll be able to pick and choose spots for when rotation should come into play, but in certain areas, especially defense, it's best to keep consistency so players can learn how to anticipate each other's movement. 

Predicted lineups

Inter Miami: Oscar Ustari, Jordi Alba, Noah Allen, Maximiliano Falcon, Ian Fray, Sergio Busquets, Federico Redondo, Telasco Segovia, Robert Taylor, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi

Toronto FC: Sean Johnson, Raoul Petretta, Nicksoen Gomis, Sigurd Rosted, Tyrese Spicer, Alonso Coello, Jonathan Osorio, Derrick Etienne, Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi, Ola Brynhildsen

Player to watch

Lorenzo Insigne, Toronto FC: Expected to have a similar impact to Messi in Major League Soccer, Insigne almost moved away from the club during the offseason. Under new leadership and with more attackers around him, there is a chance that he could help revitalize this Toronto side that used to be among the strongest teams in MLS, but to do that, he'll need to perform in big matches like this one against Inter Miami. One of the highest-paid players in the league, expectations are high on Insigne, and he needs to live up to them sooner than later. 

Storyline to watch

Can Miami get back on track? This is far from a must-win fixture for the Herons, but they won't want to lose consecutive matches before heading back into Champions Cup play. LAFC at home will be a must-win match which is why it's important to get back on track versus an MLS side that is trying to find their feet. It'll be even better for the Herons if they can get the win without Messi doing heavy lifting, but as long as Mascherano sees a response from the team, it'll be a positive outcome.

Prediction

With their improved defense this season, Miami won't face many problems dispatching Toronto at home. It'll be a lower-scoring fixture than expected since Toronto's defense is improving, but the attack isn't in a place where they can truly trouble Miami yet. Robin Fraser's team is moving in the right direction, but facing one of the best teams in the entire Eastern Conference is a tough ask for anyone, especially for a team that was at the bottom of the conference last season. Pick: Inter Miami 1, Toronto FC 0

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