- Dhaka
Lionel Messi’s frustration continued to grow as Inter Miami suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Orlando City in Sunday’s Major League Soccer match. The loss in the Florida derby marked another poor result for Miami, who now have only one win in their last seven matches across all competitions. With this result, Miami dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference while Orlando moved ahead of them.
Messi managed just two shots on target throughout the game and even misfired a free-kick from his usual scoring range. Speaking to Apple TV after the match, he admitted that the true test of a team comes in tough times. “When things are easy, anyone can perform. It’s during difficult moments that we must stand united and act as a real team,” he said.
Although Messi questioned some refereeing decisions, the defeat largely stemmed from poor defending, a disorganized midfield, and a lack of attacking sharpness, with Luis Suarez continuing to struggle. Orlando took the lead in the 43rd minute through Luis Muriel, who latched onto a long ball from goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and calmly finished past Miami keeper Oscar Ustari.
Miami’s defensive issues persisted, and despite Ustari making a double save later, he was at fault for Orlando’s second goal—a low shot from Marco Pasilic that slipped through his hands and legs. In stoppage time, Duncan McGuire set up Dagur Thorhallsson to seal the win with a third goal.
Inter Miami have now conceded 20 goals and scored only 11 in their last seven matches. Coach Javier Mascherano acknowledged that although his team started well, mistakes proved costly. He admitted the coaching staff must take responsibility and work to rebuild the team’s lost confidence. Miami’s season has taken a sharp downturn since their CONCACAF Champions Cup exit, and Mascherano vowed they would keep trying to recover.
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