Ten-man Inter Miami defeats Toronto FC in action-packed Leagues Cup round-of-32 game | Canada News Media
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Ten-man Inter Miami defeats Toronto FC in action-packed Leagues Cup round-of-32 game

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Matias Rojas scored twice and Jordi Alba had four assists as defending-champion Inter Miami, despite having a player sent off in the 28th minute, hung on to defeat Toronto FC 4-3 in round-of-32 Leagues Cup play Thursday.

While there was no Lionel Messi, the game had pretty much everything else. The first half featured five goals, a red card and three penalties, one of which was downgraded to a free kick after video review.

Diego Gomez and Luis Suarez also scored for Miami, which led 3-1 after 20 minutes and 3-2 at the break. The 35-year-old Alba, who spent 11 seasons with Barcelona, becomes the first player to record four assists in a Leagues Cup game.

Lorenzo Insigne, scoring twice from the penalty spot, replied for Toronto which also benefited from an own goal by Noah Allen.

Miami will play at either MLS champion Columbus or Sporting Kansas City, who play Friday in the Ohio capital, on Monday or Tuesday in the round of 16.

Despite being down a man, Miami looked composed in the second half and went ahead 4-2 in the 59th minute with Alba laying the ball off for Rojas to knock home from distance with a well-placed shot after a beautiful team buildup.

Both teams had chances to add to their totals in the second half and Toronto cut the lead to 4-2 in the 79th minute, with substitute Prince Owusu’s header deflecting in off Allen. Insigne supplied the cross that led to the goal.

Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender made a diving save in the 85th minute of a Kevin Long shot to preserve the win. Federico Redondo, with the Toronto defence in disarray, hit the goalpost in the 87th minute.

It was one-way traffic to start on a hot night at Chase Stadium with Messi watching from the seats because of an ankle injury suffered at Copa America. Miami co-owner David Beckham and singer Gloria Estefan were also in the stands.

Toronto had a nightmarish opening with Suarez gifted a scoring chance in the second minute after a giveaway by Federico Bernadeschi. Sean Johnson made the save but Miami went ahead a minute later when two Toronto defenders went to one Miami attacker, leaving Rojas uncovered and the Paraguayan international midfielder, taking an Alba cross, hammered home a low shot into the far corner.

The Toronto defence was breached again in the 10th minute but Gomez fired just wide. The Paraguayan made no mistake a minute later, taking a pass from Alba and beating Johnson with a shot from just outside the penalty box.

Toronto was thrown a lifeline in the 14th minute when Mexican referee Adonai Escobedo pointed to the penalty spot after Argentine defender Marcelo Weigandt took down Derrick Etienne Jr. after losing the ball in the penalty box. Insigne sent Callender the wrong way a minute later to cut the lead to 2-1.

Bernadeschi exited in the 18th minute after going down, giving way to Owusu.

Suarez made it 3-1 in the 20th minute with Alba finding the Uruguayan star behind the defence as he made his run. Long misread the play, allowing Suarez to chip Johnson.

Miami reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute after defender David Martinez took down Owusu, who was sent in behind the defence by Deybi Flores. Martinez, acquired on loan from Argentina’s River Plate on July 24, was initially shown a yellow but it was upgraded to red on video review.

The referee initially pointed to the penalty spot but the decision was changed to a free kick on the edge of the box with Callender saving Insigne’s cheeky set-piece chip.

Owusu did win a penalty in the 38th minute, going down with a tangle with Alba who needed treatment after protesting his innocence. After the call survived video review, Insigne fired the ball into the corner in the 41st.

Veteran midfielder David Busquets clashed with Toronto’s Richie Laryea early in the second half, escaping punishment after knocking the wingback to the ground.

The Leagues Cup features 47 teams, 29 from Major League Soccer and 18 from Mexico’s Liga MX — as well as a prize pool of US$40 million with US$2 million going to the winner. There are also three berths in the CONCACAF Champions Cup up for grabs.

Toronto topped East Group 6, beating Mexico’s Pachuca 2-1 after edging the New York Red Bulls 5-4 on penalties.

Miami defeated Mexico’s Club Puebla 2-0 before losing to 2-1 to Mexico’s Tigresto finish runner-up in East Group 3. Miami got to host Thursday’s game because it is seeded higher than Toronto.

Miami (16-4-5) currently leads the supporters’ Shield standings, topping the Eastern Conference. Toronto (9-14-3) sits eighth in the East, 23 points below Miami which also has a game in hand.

But TFC had won three straight outings, including two in Leagues Cup play, since a 3-1 MLS loss at Miami on July 17.

Toronto is idle until Aug. 24 when it visits the Houston Dynamo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2024

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RCMP investigating after three found dead in Lloydminster, Sask.

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LLOYDMINSTER, SASK. – RCMP are investigating the deaths of three people in Lloydminster, Sask.

They said in a news release Thursday that there is no risk to the public.

On Wednesday evening, they said there was a heavy police presence around 50th Street and 47th Avenue as officers investigated an “unfolding incident.”

Mounties have not said how the people died, their ages or their genders.

Multiple media reports from the scene show yellow police tape blocking off a home, as well as an adjacent road and alleyway.

The city of Lloydminster straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Mounties said the three people were found on the Saskatchewan side of the city, but that the Alberta RCMP are investigating.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 12, 2024.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story; An earlier version said the three deceased were found on the Alberta side of Lloydminster.

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Three injured in Kingston, Ont., assault, police negotiating suspect’s surrender

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KINGSTON, Ont. – Police in Kingston, Ont., say three people have been sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a violent daytime assault.

Kingston police say officers have surrounded a suspect and were trying to negotiate his surrender as of 1 p.m.

Spokesperson Const. Anthony Colangeli says police received reports that the suspect may have been wielding an edged or blunt weapon, possibly both.

Colangeli says officers were called to the Integrated Care Hub around 10:40 a.m. after a report of a serious assault.

He says the three victims were all assaulted “in the vicinity,” of the drop-in health centre, not inside.

Police have closed Montreal Street between Railway Street and Hickson Avenue.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

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Government intervention in Air Canada talks a threat to competition: Transat CEO

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Demands for government intervention in Air Canada labour talks could negatively affect airline competition in Canada, the CEO of travel company Transat AT Inc. said.

“The extension of such an extraordinary intervention to Air Canada would be an undeniable competitive advantage to the detriment of other Canadian airlines,” Annick Guérard told analysts on an earnings conference call on Thursday.

“The time and urgency is now. It is time to restore healthy competition in Canada,” she added.

Air Canada has asked the federal government to be ready to intervene and request arbitration as early as this weekend to avoid disruptions.

Comments on the potential Air Canada pilot strike or lock out came as Transat reported third-quarter financial results.

Guérard recalled Transat’s labour negotiations with its flight attendants earlier this year, which the company said it handled without asking for government intervention.

The airline’s 2,100 flight attendants voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate and twice rejected tentative deals before approving a new collective agreement in late February.

As the collective agreement for Air Transat pilots ends in June next year, Guérard anticipates similar pressure to increase overall wages as seen in Air Canada’s negotiations, but reckons it will come out “as a win, win, win deal.”

“The pilots are preparing on their side, we are preparing on our side and we’re confident that we’re going to come up with a reasonable deal,” she told analysts when asked about the upcoming negotiations.

The parent company of Air Transat reported it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31. The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.

It attributed reduced revenues to lower airline unit revenues, competition, industry-wide overcapacity and economic uncertainty.

Air Transat is also among the airlines facing challenges related to the recall of Pratt & Whitney turbofan jet engines for inspection and repair.

The recall has so far grounded six aircraft, Guérard said on the call.

“We have agreed to financial compensation for grounded aircraft during the 2023-2024 period,” she said. “Alongside this financial compensation, Pratt & Whitney will provide us with two additional spare engines, which we intend to monetize through a sell and lease back transaction.”

Looking ahead, the CEO said she expects consumer demand to remain somewhat uncertain amid high interest rates.

“We are currently seeing ongoing pricing pressure extending into the winter season,” she added. Air Transat is not planning on adding additional aircraft next year but anticipates stability.

“(2025) for us will be much more stable than 2024 in terms of fleet movements and operation, and this will definitely have a positive effect on cost and customer satisfaction as well,” the CEO told analysts.

“We are more and more moving away from all the disruption that we had to go through early in 2024,” she added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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