It seems that they touched the pride of the ‘Old Guard’ of Inter Miami. Since a journalist from the Los Angeles Times criticized the performance of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and company in the MLS, the hierarchy was activated. Double from La Pulga and the Uruguayan in the classic against Orlando City, and this Wednesday both converted for an agonizing reaction that allowed the undefeated 2024 to be saved in its premiere in the Concachampions: The Herons came back from 0-2 down to tie and be in a better position for the rematch, next Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale.
Foto: Donald Page / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
It cost Inter Miami its visit to the state of Tennessee. Without Jordi Alba – he stayed in Miami with the flu – coach Gerardo Martino sent Federico Redondo onto the field for his senior debut, with just a handful of practices with his new teammates and who looked dazed, even saving himself from a possible red card.
The 2-0 in favor of Nashville, thanks to the great goals from Canadian Jacob Shaffelburg, were fair for a development that favored those in yellow, who even deserved a greater difference.
And Messi? He went from youngest to oldest. He had, in this context, the clearest of Inter Miami in the first half. He hooked inside the area, tried to finish with his right when it went a little long and goalkeeper Joe Willis quickly saved him to avoid what would have been, at that moment, a partial tie. Before, he had also tried with a running left foot shot, in that typical play in which he receives the center from behind, but he missed the goal.
The world champion – who had to be massaged on the back of his right leg – infected his teammates. Because after Nashville forgave Inter Miami, La Pulga understood that it was time to react. And he couldn’t think of a better way than to draw a great goal, with one of his trademarks.
Luis Suárez – when not? – was the one who found him in the crescent of the unmarked area. Messi controlled it, placed it with a pure feint to avoid the legs that were desperately trying to block him and took the shot that hit the right post. Unassailable.
The goal represented much more than 1-2, because in this Concachampions it still serves as a ‘double’ in case of a tie on aggregate. He also allowed her to unlock another level in his professional career.
But this Inter Miami 2024 version seems to have one more gear and a very winning lineage. Messi had already done it when at 92 he scored 1-1 away against Los Angeles.
And this Thursday, Busquets was the one who appeared as a right winger in the last play of the game to launch a precise cross into the heart of the six-yard box, where the Pistolero did not fail: a lethal header and delirium from Inter Miami, to avoid the fall in his debut absolute in an international tournament for the Florida franchise.
The play that paralyzed the hearts of the football world deserves a separate paragraph: Messi showed that he is made of rubber when he received one of the hardest kicks of his entire career from Canadian Lukas MacNaughton, who was not even cautioned.
There will be no time to rest for him Inter Miamiwhose string of matches for the double competition will continue with the reception of Montreal, next Sunday at 6:00 p.m. (Argentine time) at Chase Stadium.
2024-03-08 04:28:27
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