Inter Miami
recovered from the elimination of the
Concachampions
after the loss against the Mexican
Monterrey
and won against
Sporting Kansas City
by 3 to 2, in a match that they managed to turn around since it had been elusive and that thanks to the brushstrokes of his talents he managed to move forward.
The expectation for the game against
Lionel Messi
took Sporting out of Children's Mercy Park with capacity for just over 18,000 spectators and moved it to Arrowhead, the NFL temple where the champions Kansas City Chiefs play, which looked populated, although not as crowded as when Patrick Mahomes (present in the stadium) and company play.
A total of 72,610 people came to the place to live their "Messi experience." Two of them even threw themselves on the playing field to try to make contact and "selfie" with the 10, a situation that put the security men and the Argentine's personal guard to work.
Six minutes later the visit suffered its first setback. The ball belonged to Inter Miami but a loss by
Marcelo Weigandt
in a setback was essential for the local team to open the scoring. Tim Leibold stole the ball - the former Boca claimed a foul - and it was not difficult for him to face the unprotected area. The play advanced to the right, from where the German
Erik Thommy
took a shot that went under the right corner of goalkeeper Callender.
The tie came thanks to Messi. Not because he was the scorer of the goal, but because of a masterful assist. With the eyes in the back of his head, the man from Rosario saw
Diego Gómez
free, entering diagonally and he made a great pass for the Paraguayan to finish before the goalkeeper came out, who stretched out with his leg but couldn't even deflect it.
As it was, the first half ended with no differences on the scoreboard. A free kick from Messi that passed very close to the right post and a great finish from Tomás Avilés in the area to prevent the Frenchman Remi Walter from finishing at close range with poor Callender having no chance.
At the start of the second half, Luis Suárez warned that he was in the game and took a shot that ended up in the goalkeeper's hands. Messi, very active and connected to the work of the midfielders, tried to recover but the poor condition of the grass did not help when it came to passing and circulation. The 10th had his great reward when he scored the temporary 2-1, a bomb from outside the area that went over the opponent's 1st.
WORLD FOOTBALL GENIUS! Total madness of Leo Messi in front of 72,610 people: attention to the spectacular goal of the Argentine 10 vs. Sporting Kansas City in the MLS. Score?
📹 @MLS on Apple pic.twitter.com/pS1qowLQjR
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) April 14, 2024
However, Tata Martino's team did not get used to the advantage and they immediately tied the score. Once again it was Thommy who was in charge of signaling the 2-2, this time taking a volley ball and hitting it against a post. There was little left and it seemed that Inter was extending its joyless streak.
With the entry of Benjamin Cremaschi, Inter had the explosion that they had not shown practically in the entire game. The American midfielder but son of Argentines, who returned after surgery for an inguinal hernia at the beginning of the year, infected the team.
With 15 minutes remaining, a defensive error caused by the pressure on the start allowed Luis Suárez to score the final 3-2. The Paraguayan Gómez blocked defender Tim Leibold, won and entered the area to assist the Pistolero from the side, who with great timing pushed under the goal and scored without problems.
With some flashes from Messi, Inter Miami was able to take three points that return to victory after three games, which are five if you count the two defeats by Concachampions. With this result, he once again leads the Eastern Conference in a tournament in which he will seek to be a cheerleader until the end.