2023-09-28 04:59:36
09/27/2023 11:59 p.m. Updated on 09/28/2023 00:02am.
On several occasions, Lionel Messi has been the great savior of Inter Miami in the face of adverse results and very low collective performance. With a great goal from a free kick, with an assist or with a dribble that started a scoring play. This time, the body played a trick on the 10: He had to watch the US Open Cup final from the outside and the Garzas fell 2-1 to Houston Dynamo. No Messi, no party.
With Messi absent, Inter lost the US Open Cup
“Movete, Inter. Movete,” the Inter Miami fans sang. But the truth is that Gerardo Martino’s team, neither on paper nor on the pitch, could not compete against one of the best teams in Major League Soccer. “We are going to wait for Leo until the last moment,” the Argentine coach had announced before the decisive match. However, Tata did not even end up taking him to the substitute bench. On the 10th he had to see him, along with Antonela, Thiago and Mateo, in the box.
Leo suffers an injury to the posterior muscle of his right leg, the product of an old, poorly healed scar. The hustle and bustle of matches with Inter Miami and the Argentine National Team made his body ask for a rest: he came out against Toronto FC, missed the classic against Orlando and was not present against Houstonneither more nor less than in a final.
Given this, Martino opted for a very promising 4-3-3con Facundo Farias sharing the attacking front with Leo Campana and Robert Taylor. In addition, the coach had to replace Jordi Alba, injured, with Noah Allen. But all the problems that Inter suffers (especially when defending) came to light, without a Messi who could disguise the result.
The defensive transition and the space between the center backs and Sergio Busquets has been Inter’s big problem since the three stars landed in Fort Lauderdale. And in front was a team that, at least in the first half, did not forgive such a mistake: Houston grouped up, short, came out with direct attacks, and went to halftime with a fair 2-0, by Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassi (Yedlin’s stupid criminal). Leo, outside, suffering…
Facu Farías could not gravitate against Dynamo. (REUTER)
At half-time, Tata put all his effort into the game: He sent Josef Martínez and Dixon Arroyo, and took out Diego Gómez and Robert Taylor. But not even the introduction of the good Ecuadorian midfielder, to help Busquets in the retreat, could stop the rival’s gale: Houston could have made the third, the fourth and the fifth, but it kept Inter in the game.
Faced with this context, Inter went for everything. Without so many specific arrivals, without so much elaboration, without so much precision in the final meters, but with drive, attitude, self-love. Time passed, the discount did not arrive and the title began to recede on the horizon. However, Josef, a few minutes from the end, established the 2-1 score that provided hope until Jon Freemon’s final whistle.
Many times, Messi saved the team. This time, The team could not give Leo the 45th title of his extraordinary career. Furthermore, Inter continues to leave a worrying image in the absence of the star: with Messi they did not lose and, without him, 1W-1D-2L. Looking ahead, the outlook is not encouraging: The Herons need to win almost everything they need (five games) to get into the MLS playoffs. And, with the uncertainty of Messi’s physical condition, everything becomes more difficult for them. Logical.
Leo, with his family, in the box at the grass level. (AP)
The best of Inter Miami – Houston Dynamo
Lionel Messi – 28-9-2023
Messi arrived at the stadium to watch the Inter Miami match
Lionel Messi – 28-9-2023
Messi’s reaction in Houston’s 1-0
Inter Miami – 28-9-2023
Houston took the lead
Inter Miami – 28-9-2023
Houston is 2 to 0
Inter Miami – 28-9-2023
Inter Miami discounted
#Messi #Inter #lost #Open #Cup #final