Fort Lauderdale (United States) (AFP) – Lionel Messi’s frustration grew as Inter Miami’s miserable run continued with a 3-0 loss at home to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday. The Florida derby defeat leaves Miami with one win from their last seven games in all competitions, and they slip to sixth in the Eastern Conference with Orlando leapfrogging them. Messi had just two shots on target and scuffed a free-kick as his own form slumped with that of his team.
“Now we’ll truly see if we’re a team in difficult times, because when everything’s going well it’s very easy,” Messi told Apple TV. “When difficult times come, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and pull ourselves together,” he added. Messi questioned the refereeing, but in truth, the loss had little to do with officiating and much to do with shambolic defending, a disjointed midfield, and a punchless attack led by the rapidly fading Luis Suarez.
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Orlando grabbed the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal of absurd simplicity. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese launched the ball downfield, and Luis Muriel ran clear and slotted past Oscar Ustari. The visitors were getting plenty of joy from going direct against a Miami back-line which was all at sea, and Argentine Martin Ojeda should have done better when he found himself clear on goal but blasted over.
Miami’s veteran keeper Ustari made a fine double save, but then the 38-year-old found himself to blame for Orlando’s second goal. The ball fell to Marco Pasalic on the edge of the box, and his low shot went through the hands and legs of Ustari. Miami coach Javier Mascherano threw on attacking players in a bid to retrieve something from the game, but it was in vain. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Duncan McGuire broke down the left, and his low cross was slotted home by Icelandic forward Dagur Thorhallsson to wrap up an impressive performance from the visitors.
Miami have conceded 20 goals in their last seven games, with their only victory coming against the New York Red Bulls on May 3. Mascherano said the first goal changed the game. “I’d say for 25 or 30 minutes we had it completely under control, playing in the opponent’s half, but this is how it is, clearly. I’m not going to deny what the result is,” he said. “Unfortunately, we can’t afford the mistakes we make, that’s clear. But it’s pointless for me to come here and tell this story because it keeps happening.”
“So, clearly, we as a coaching staff are failing in many of these ways, and we have to try to find a way around them so we don’t continue failing and so the team starts getting results,” he added. Miami’s MLS campaign was going well until their exit in the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps, and Mascherano admitted the team’s morale had been hit. “Clearly something has happened where the team has lost a lot of confidence. We have had a drop in level individually and collectively, and it’s clear one way or another we have tried with different schemes, different names, and still today we are hurting. We will keep trying to find a way.”
In the Los Angeles derby, former Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus scored twice, including an 87th-minute equalizer, as the winless Galaxy fought back for a 2-2 draw at home to Los Angeles FC. Reus put the Galaxy, the defending champions who have made the worst start to a season in MLS history, ahead from close range in the sixth minute. Denis Bouanga scored a 13th-minute screamer to bring LAFC level, cutting inside onto his right foot before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the far corner.
LAFC got in front in the 50th minute when Ryan Hollingshead threaded the ball through to Nathan Ordaz, who fired home with a first-time finish. But the 35-year-old former Germany international Reus earned a point for the home side with a superb curling free-kick three minutes from the end.
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