Colombian Luis Fernando Muriel scored one of the goals as Orlando City thrashed Inter Miami 3-0, who are going through a serious crisis with five defeats in their last seven matches in MLS and the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The 3-3 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes and the 4-1 win against the New York Red Bulls were the only positive results for Inter Miami, who in their last seven games have suffered five defeats: two against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup (5-1 on aggregate), 3-4 against Dallas, 4-1 against Minnesota United and 0-3 against Orlando City.
“And from a strange play, where one of their players gives a pass to the goalkeeper and the referee himself told me that he did not know the rule, that he did not think that, that he did not understand it…
In addition, Oscar Pareja, the Colombian coach of Orlando City, won the head-to-head between Latin coaches against Argentine Javier Mascherano, who is in charge of Inter Miami.
With Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba as starters tonight, Inter Miami continues to have enormous defensive problems and has conceded 20 goals in its last seven matches.
It’s not an excuse, but something always happens with the referees in a specific play. I think MLS should look a little more at the issue of referees
This Florida derby was one of the highlights of MLS Rivalry Week, for which the league prepared several high-voltage duels between neighboring teams.
Another disappointment in Miami
The first half was very entertaining with both teams not giving up on the attack: Inter Miami with more possession and Orlando City looking for counter-attacks.
Messi came up against Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese with a right-footed shot and Argentine goalkeeper Oscar Ustari stopped Colombian Ivan Angulo in two of the clearest chances of the first half.
In the 43rd minute, the visitors struck. After Inter Miami claimed a loan to the goalkeeper, Gallese surprised with a long kick that inexplicably caught the home defense out of position, so Muriel only had to control wonderfully to beat Ustari and make it 0-1.
We have three or four games left to finish the month in the best way and then face the Club World Cup
Far from facing an onslaught from Inter Miami, Orlando City enjoyed two clear chances to score a second goal.
First, Argentine Martin Ojeda missed a counter-attack when he was completely alone and later Alex Freeman also failed in another golden opportunity against an Inter Miami with its defense in ruins.
The third time was the charm and in the 53rd minute Marco Pasalic made it 0-2 with a left-footed shot that slipped through Ustari’s hands.
Messi and company have specialized in epic comebacks since their arrival in Miami, but this was not their night and, tremendously misguided, they showed obvious signs of frustration without being able to scare an Orlando City that kept the 0-2 solidly and benefited from a very secure Gallese.
Now we will really see if we are a team, in the difficult moments, because when everything is going well it is very easy
The bad news was not over for Inter Miami as Argentine Ramiro Enrique hit the post in the 88th minute, but Dagur Thorhallsson sealed the 0-3 win in the 94th minute.
Inter Miami is sixth in the East with 22 points from 13 games and will visit Philadelphia Union, who are top of the conference with 29 points from 14 games.
Messi: “There’s always something going on with the referees, MLS should look at it a little more”
Leo Messi, hurt after Inter Miami’s 3-0 thrashing by Orlando City, criticised the refereeing errors and said that MLS should do something to correct this issue.
“I think today we had a great first half. We were attacking, creating situations, they couldn’t get out, they were kicking long balls,” he told Apple TV after the match.
“And from a strange play, where one of their players gives a pass to the goalkeeper and the referee himself told me that he did not know the rule, that he did not understand it… And, well, from there came a ball and came the goal,” he argued.
“But the truth is that there are times when there are specific errors like the last game (against the San Jose Earthquakes), you know? They are not excuses, but something always happens with the referees in some specific play. I think MLS should look a little more at the issue of referees,” he added.
Messi was referring to Orlando City’s first goal, which came in the 43rd minute after Inter Miami claimed a pass to Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.
The referee did not consider it to be a pass, Gallese surprised with a long kick that inexplicably caught the home defense off guard and Colombian Luis Muriel only had to control it wonderfully to beat Argentine Oscar Ustari and make it 1-0.
This is Inter Miami’s fifth defeat in the last seven matches, including MLS and the Concacaf Champions Cup.
“It really does hurt to lose one more game. We came from a period of bad results but we have to keep working and think about what is coming. We have three or four games left to finish the month in the best way and then face the Club World Cup,” said Messi.
In addition, the Rosario native believes that in these difficult times is when they have to show more unity in the team coached by Javier Mascherano and in which Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets were also starters on Sunday.
“Now we are going to see if we are really a team, in difficult moments, because when everything is going well it is very easy but when difficult moments come like now is when we have to be more united than ever, be a real team and get ahead,” he said. “I think we have what it takes so now we have to think about what’s coming and prepare for the game in Philadelphia.”
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