Saturday stood to be one of the toughest tests of the season for Toronto FC’s back line. And yet, they passed.

While it was Josh Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr.’s goals either side of the hour mark that in the end, lifted Toronto FC to their first-ever road win against Inter Miami, the Reds’ defence more than earned their keep against the league’s joint-highest scoring team this season.

Less than a month ago — and perhaps even now, still — a matchup against an attack that featured Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Germán Berterame would’ve had everyone betting against TFC, even with Miami having not won in their last three games.

Courtesy: Toronto FC

“(Messi) is absolutely fantastic, there’s no two ways about it, but through diligence of the whole group — getting in front of him, behind him, to the side of him — I thought we did a really good job of limiting what he could do,” Robin Fraser told reporters, including Waking The Red, after full time on Saturday.

“It makes me think about the old Michael Jordan expression that you can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him, and I thought we contained him for a good stretch of it.”

Messi did — after what felt like an eternity of hope that he would be kept off the scoresheet for only the fifth time this season in MLS — find the back of the net in the 82nd minute.

It was, however, his only shot on target, with another effort from outside the box blocked before half time, with six touches in Toronto’s penalty area and seven passes into the final third not yielding any more offence.

“Great players find moments, and he obviously scored the goal, but I thought our guys did a tremendous job of getting around him and just not making it easy for him,” Fraser added.

Kobe Franklin, at full time, highlighted TFC’s ability to communicate effectively, and simply put, limit Messi’s space to operate, as keys in the win.

“Staying compact, everybody doing their jobs, splitting defensive roles and communication was massive today, and making sure there’s not many gaps and not giving him the outlets that he typically likes,” Franklin told reporters.

De Paul managed to slip a through-ball in between the lines late-on, but crucially, TFC were also able to curb Messi’s danger from set pieces, committing just eight fouls — two on Messi himself — compared to Miami’s 15.

“Obviously [he’s] the greatest player of all time, so respecting him, but also getting into him and making sure he he has a tough night,” Franklin continued.

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The Reds owed a lot, in many respects, to hometown fullbacks Richie Laryea and Kobe Franklin.

Laryea, especially, also excelled on both sides of the ball, despite having to contend with Messi and De Paul on his flank. His carry to the edge of the box that led to Derrick Etienne Jr.’s decisive goal in the 62nd minute had Fraser enthusing.

“I thought Richie was tremendous,” Fraser replied. “Richie was tremendous in all of his challenges and the moments he gave us going forward, and the run that he makes at the end that leads for the second goal, I really can’t say enough about it.”