In the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals, Inter Miami suffered a 0-1 defeat to Los Angeles FC. Despite starting the match, Messi delivered a lackluster performance.
After coming off the bench to score in a recent MLS match against Philadelphia, Lionel Messi was included in the starting lineup by coach Javier Mascherano for the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal against Los Angeles FC, which took place earlier today
Despite being a regional-level competition, Inter Miami has set high ambitions to win the title. Over the years, they have struggled to claim major trophies—even with Messi on the team.
The match against Los Angeles FC was no exception. Even with “El Pulga” (The Flea) starting, Inter Miami found it difficult to assert themselves. They were on the back foot in the opening stages. Messi failed to make a significant impact, with his only notable contribution in the first half being a free-kick that sailed just over the bar of Hugo Lloris’ goal.
It was Los Angeles FC who created more dangerous opportunities, although they couldn’t capitalize in the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, the game shifted. In the 57th minute, Nathan Ordaz opened the scoring for Los Angeles FC with a stunning long-range strike. Just six minutes later, they nearly doubled the lead when Timothy Tillman’s shot from inside the box was cleared off the line by an Inter Miami defender.
Messi received the ball more often in the latter stages of the match. However, under intense pressure from the home side, the Argentine superstar couldn’t make a difference. In the end, Inter Miami fell 0-1 to Los Angeles FC.
The second leg will take place at 7:00 AM on April 10th at Inter Miami’s home stadium. Messi and his teammates will need to win by at least two goals to secure a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.
