Messi becomes fastest to 100 MLS goal contributions

Lionel Messi scored once and added two assists in Inter Miami’s ↘2.16% 4-2 win at Toronto FC, reaching 100 MLS goal contributions faster than any player in league history.apnews
The match drew a record 44,828 fans to newly expanded BMO Field, serving as a dress rehearsal for six FIFA World Cup matches Toronto will host starting June 12.whbl
Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Reguilón also scored as Inter Miami extended their away winning streak to six games, per the AP.apnews

Messi Shines as Toronto Draws Record Crowd in World Cup Dress Rehearsal

BMO Field hosted the largest crowd in Toronto FC’s history on Saturday as 44,828 fans packed into the newly expanded stadium to watch Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami dismantle their hosts 4-2 in what doubled as a dress rehearsal for next month’s FIFA World Cup.apnews

Many in the crowd wore Miami’s pink and black or Argentina’s blue and white, a preview of the international atmosphere Toronto can expect when it hosts six World Cup matches beginning June 12. The match also served as Toronto FC’s final home game before BMO Field transitions into “Toronto Stadium” for the tournament.whbl

Messi Rewrites the Record Books

Messi was the undeniable protagonist, contributing a goal and two assists to become the fastest player in MLS history to reach 100 regular-season goal contributions. He reached the milestone in just 64 matches — 31 fewer than the previous record holder, former Toronto FC star Sebastian Giovinco. Rodrigo De Paul matched Messi’s output with a goal and two assists of his own, opening the scoring just before halftime. Luis Suárez and Sergio Reguilón, who netted his first goal as an Inter Miami player, also found the net before Toronto’s Emilio Aristizábal pulled two back late.intermiamicf

The victory extended Inter Miami’s away winning streak to six matches and kept them atop the MLS road standings with 19 points from eight games.apnews

A City Prepares for the World Stage

The expanded BMO Field, which normally holds just over 28,000, had its capacity pushed to roughly 45,700 through the addition of temporary grandstands built for the World Cup. Saturday’s sellout gave city services — from transit operators to stadium security — a real-world stress test ahead of the tournament.sportsnet

Toronto will host five group-stage matches and one Round of 32 fixture, beginning with Canada’s opener on June 12 — the first men’s World Cup match ever played on Canadian soil. Germany, Ghana, Panama, and Côte d’Ivoire are also scheduled to play at the venue. The tournament final is set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.toronto