Lionel Messi was powerless to prevent Inter Miami from slipping to its biggest defeat in MLS play since his arrival in North America, falling 4-1 at Minnesota United on Saturday.
Previously, there had only been one two-goal defeat with Messi, a 1-3 home loss to Atlanta United in May last year.
Messi got on the scoresheet early in the second half, but it made little difference, with Miami already two goals behind by that point. Worse was to follow, with United adding two more midway through the half and running out a dominant victor.
Given Minnesota’s strong start to the season, this was never expected to be an easy road game for the Argentinean World Cup winner and his colleagues, but even so, the size of the margin was a surprise, even given Miami’s recent difficulties. In the Messi era, Miami’s previous biggest MLS defeat had been a two-goal margin.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane got things going for the hosts after 32 minutes, striking successfully from close range after being set up by fine movement from Carlos Harvey and Joaquín Pereyra.
In first-half stoppage time, Anthony Markanich nodded home the second, courtesy of a long throw into the area and a flick on, plus some sleepy Miami defending.
Inter Miami’s hopes of a revival briefly flickered when Messi scored after the break, collecting the ball from Jordi Alba and finding a sliver of space in the penalty, before bouncing a shot into the corner of the Minnesota net.
But Marcelo Weigandt snuffed out those ambitions with an own goal at 68 minutes. The unfortunate defender embarrassingly turned the ball into his own net as confusion reigned following a free-kick from the left.
By now, Inter was fully rattled, and Robin Lod provided the final blow two minutes later, clipping home a clinical finish from the edge of the area to establish the three-goal buffer.
Over the past month, the Florida side has won just two of seven games, one of those coming on the road at the surging Columbus Crew. Mixed in were a pair of defeats to Vancouver in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal, a home setback to FC Dallas and Saturday’s embarrassment.
Luis Suárez was missing for Miami, for whom head coach Javier Mascherano was unable to find any significant way to cause problems for the Minnesota backline.
Messi and company must now try to regroup on Wednesday with a visit to the San Jose Earthquakes, coached by former men’s national team chief Bruce Arena. This reverse means Miami sits down in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings after 11 games.
(Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn / Imagn Images)
