Miami, FL
Suarez, Messi score in Inter Miami preseason loss
Inter Miami finally broke through with the team’s first goals of its preseason world tour – including one each from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez – but it wasn’t enough in a 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal on Monday.
The loss is Miami’s second of preseason, which opened with a scoreless draw against the El Salvador national team and a 1-0 loss to FC Dallas.
The game was played as part of the Riyadh Season Cup, which continues on Thursday with a highly-anticipated Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo matchup as Miami takes on Al-Nassr.
Here are some takeaways from the match.
Suarez, Messi looking more in sync with teammates
After failing to score in their first two preseason games, Inter Miami finally started to look a bit more connected and polished in the final third on Monday.
Luis Suarez scored his first goal of the preseason with a finish into an empty net after an Al Hilal defender toe-poked the ball away from Julian Gressel and into his path just a few yards away from the net. Despite initially being ruled offside, VAR showed that it was the defender, not Gressel, who played the ball into Suarez’s path for the goal.
💥 LUIS SUAREZ 💥
His first goal for @InterMiamiCF! pic.twitter.com/oEhVqKS7UB
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 29, 2024
Despite coming off that touch, the movement from Gressel and Suarez was very good on the goal and showed some signs of the growing connection between new teammates.
After Al Hilal opened things back up to 3-1, Lionel Messi got his first goal of the preseason with a penalty kick finish after homegrown David Ruiz drew the foul in the box. A minute later, Ruiz had the moment of the match with an impressive strike, getting on the end of a Messi pass, cutting back into his right foot and lashing home a strike inside the near post.
TAKE A BOW, DAVID RUIZ
What a beauty to level it 3-3 for @InterMiamiCF! pic.twitter.com/6qrv9dMOU6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 29, 2024
Giving up a late goal to lose, 4-3, is never a positive, but Inter Miami will have some good things to take away from the performance overall. – Paul Tenorio
Defensive struggles
Inter Miami continues to struggle defensively, primarily in transition. However, against Al Hilal, missed assignments and poor clearances were factors in the home side’s goals. Additionally, goalkeeper Drake Callender had an average night. He was shaky on the ball and failed to command his box with authority.
Miami’s winless start is enough to sound the alarms for some, but no one should be panicking just yet. These are tests, and surely head coach Tata Martino will use these setbacks and the uninspired defensive performances, to focus on what needs to be improved before the MLS season opener on Feb. 21. – Felipe Cardenas
GO DEEPER
Inter Miami to wear new home kit against Al Hilal
Another key injury
For the third time this preseason, Inter Miami saw a projected starter leave a friendly early with an injury. In the second half, center back Sergiy Kryvtsov appeared worse for wear after heading a powerful shot with the side of his head. The potential contact to his temple left him seated on the field for a couple of minutes. The Ukraine international attempted to play on, but was substituted off minutes later after again needing to sit on the pitch.
This first friendly of their preseason world tour saw Facundo Farias suffer a season-ending ACL injury, while the following game saw U.S. international Benjamin Cremaschi suffer a sports hernia that’ll require at least 2-3 months of recovery. Considering the fact that defense is far and away the weakest area of the pitch for Miami, seeing Kryvstov miss time would be another blow to the team’s lofty expectations in 2024. – Jeff Rueter
(Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
To no one’s surprise, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF engaged in a scorefest May 13 at TQL Stadium.
A hat trick by one of the best goalscorers in the history of the game, Lionel Messi, sparked Miami to a 5-3 win. Miami scored three times from the 79th minute on to come from behind.
A sellout crowd of 25,513 witnessed the showdown, the club’s sixth home sellout of the season.
FC Cincinnati falls to 4-5-4, staying at 16 points, taking its first loss since April 4 at Red Bull New York. Miami improves to 7-2-4 for 25 points, improving to 7-1-1 on the road this season. Miami moved into second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville. Cincinnati started the night tied for fifth but could drop depending on games later on.
Second half highlights as FC Cincinnati squandered a late lead
Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.
Evander fired a rocket from the top of the 18 into the top left corner. Deneky passed ahead to him, then he maneuvered around two defenders, and no one stepped up to him. It is Evander’s seventh goal of the season.
Miami tied it in the 80th minute, 3-3.
After a Cincy turnover, Rodrigo De Paul quickly found Messi in transition, who delivered to Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti, playing his first game in a month, maneuvered in space and scored from the top of the box for his fourth of the season.
Miami took a 4-3 lead in the 83rd. A Messi free kick from 35 yds was saved by Cincy keeper Roman Celentano. He collided with Andrei Chirila, which knocked the ball out of his hands. Miami’s German Berterame pounced on the rebound to give Miami the lead, his fourth goal of the season.
Chirila landed hard after the collision and was taken out of the game.
Miami took a 5-3 lead when Messi made a sliding shot after a cross from Silvetti. The ball went off the post, then off Roman Celentano, who was on his stomach trying to get the ball, then in. Messi was credited with the goal and a hat trick.
FC Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
Pavel Bucha scored from close range. He took a crossing pass from Bryan Ramirez after Denkey found him on the left side in transition.
It was Bucha’s second goal of the MLS season and the second assist for Ramirez. Bucha was hit in the head late in the first half and examined by trainers, but stayed in the game.
Moments later, Messi had a free kick from 30 yards saved by Celentano.
Messi scored again in the 56th minute to tie it, 2-2. He had a nice give-and-go with Rodrigo De Paul, who dribbled near the end line and crossed to him from the right side. Messi was unmarked and scored easily from near the penalty spot.
In the 62nd minute, Luis Suarez missed an open shot that Celentano saved, set up by a quick transition by Miami.
Miami ended with 17 shots to 10 for Cincinnati, six on target. After an even first half, Miami controlled the expected-goals mark, with 4 to 1.6 for the home team.
First half highlights
Messi scored from close range in the 24th off a turnover by Matt Miazga. Miazga tried to pass to a teammate on the side but the pass went straight to Messi.
He had a goal in the fifth minute waved off by offsides.
In the 32nd minute, Cincinnati won a corner kick, which Evander placed right in front of the goal line but the ball was cleared away.
In the 42nd minute, a Kevin Denkey penalty kick tied it up. Denkey drew the PK after collecting a good pass into the box by Pavel Bucha and being grabbed by Gonzalo Lujan. Denkey converted for his team-high eighth goal of the season.
The first half was tied 1-1 and virtually even on statistics. Both sides had seven shots, one on goal, and 1.1 expected goals. Neither keeper made a save.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati?
Cincinnati heads to the West Coast to play San Diego FC 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16. It is the first meeting between the teams. San Diego, 3-5-4 for 13 points, was set to play Austin later May 13. Cincinnati will leave for California on May 14.
A wildfire has scorched over 11,000 acres in Florida’s Everglades, just outside the Miami metro suburbs, prompting officials to warn nearby residents of dangerous smoke.
The Max Road Miramar Fire is straddling the line between Miami-Dade and Broward counties. At least 11,000 acres have been burned, and the fire is 80% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.
The fire was first reported Sunday. The Pembroke Pines Police Department said that drivers stopping to watch the fires along US-27 were causing dangerous traffic backups.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said they were working with state forest officials to protect nearby properties.
Florida Senator Rick Scott urged people on social media to adhere to any local road closures.
Aerial footage showed flames in the vicinity of a local subdivision, and smoke could be seen billowing for miles.
This comes in the middle of Florida’s wildfire season, which is being compounded by a historic drought ongoing across the state.
Almost 2,000 wildfires have burned nearly 120,000 acres just since the start of the year, the forest service said earlier this month.
Wildfires south of Jacksonville canceled and delayed Amtrak service last month.
While the vast majority of the state is under Exceptional or Extreme Drought conditions, Miami itself is roughly an inch below average rainfall, year-to-date.
However, parts of the Everglades are also experiencing Extreme Drought.
Fire officials are warning residents to take precautions if smoke is impacting your area. Those with respiratory conditions, older adults and children may be especially sensitive to smoke exposure.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is advising people to stay indoors when possible and set home and vehicle A/C systems to recirculate.
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