Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami tied this Wednesday without goals and lost on penalties (3-4) against Japanese Vissel Kobe in Tokyo, in a friendly match in which the Argentine star played the final half hour and was not able to tip the balance before a dedicated local audience.
The match was the last of the international pre-season tour of David Beckham’s club, while Vissel Kobe, current champion of the Japanese league and Andrés Iniesta’s former team, is also in the preparatory period and will begin domestic competition at the end of the month.
Andrés Iniesta, who plays for the Emirates Club in the UAE Pro League, took the field to greet the Japanese public before the match and after observing a minute of silence for the victims of the devastating earthquake at the beginning of the year in the center of that country .
The match began with little rhythm in the cold Tokyo night and in a National Olympic Stadium that barely reached the halfway mark, where the public showed their desire to see Lionel Messi since his name was heard over the public address system among the substitutes.
The Argentine star, suffering from some discomfort in his adductor, was once again left on the bench after the controversy caused by his absence in last Sunday’s friendly in Hong Kong, where the local public ended up booing Inter Miami and demanding a refund. of the price of your tickets.
During a dull first half, Vissel Kobe showed greater intensity and had three clear chances from veteran striker Osako, who hit the post twice in just one minute before the quarter-hour mark. The Japan international missed another very clear opportunity alone in front of the goalkeeper shortly before the break.
Sergio Busquets had to be substituted in the 24th minute due to an apparent injury, while his team could not escape the pressure in the Japanese midfield, who seemed much more dynamic.
Already in the second half, the public exploded with joy when Messi was called out onto the pitch by ‘Tata’ Martino, which materialized in the 60th minute with the stadium chanting the Argentine striker’s name.
And Messi was the main incentive for an audience who had paid from 10,000 to 3 million yen (between 67 and 20,250 dollars). The higher priced tickets, in the ‘VIP’ category, allowed you to meet the players and take photos with them, among other privileges.
His quality details located in the midfield were the only glimpses of an Inter Miami surpassed in speed and determination in almost all actions by Vissel, willing to spoil the night of ‘messimanía’ in Japan.
But the presence of the ’10’ was encouraging the team in pink, more focused towards the opposing goal in the final stretch of the match, and Luis Suárez touched the goal with a bicycle kick from a corner kick.
Around the 80th minute, Lionel Messi hit the goalkeeper with his shot on one of those occasions that he never missed, and he also missed the mark after hitting the rebound and cutting off a defender, as his shot was repelled over the goal line by another rival.
The match ended goalless and was decided in a penalty shootout. They scored for Vissel Kobe: Osako, Miyashiro, Yuruki and Ino, the latter being the decisive one, and Hatsuse and Ura missed.
For Inter Miami, Campana, Gressel and Alba scored, and Allen, Taylor and Gregore missed.
The MLS club thus puts an end to its six-game preseason tour with a single victory, the one achieved last Sunday in Hong Kong, and after suffering defeats against FC Dallas and Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League.
Datasheet:
0 – Vissel Kobe: Obi; Honda, Hatsuke, Sakai, Iwanami; Ohgihara, Yamaguchi, Ide, Sasaki; Osako y Patric. También jugaron Ideguchi, Arai, Kikuchi, Ino, Yuruki y Miyashiro.
0 – Inter Miami: Callender; Jordi Alba, Allen, Avilés, Yedlin; Busquets, Ruiz, Gregore; Taylor, Gressel and Luis Suárez. Bright, Messi, Campana and Sailor also played.
Incidents: friendly match played at the National Stadium in Tokyo, before 28,614 spectators.
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