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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
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Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
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Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
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Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
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In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
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Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
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