Lionel Messi is back to scoring in Saudi Arabia, but Inter Miami are yet to win in pre-season

Lionel Messi did his thing in Saudi Arabiabut even so, Inter Miami fails to rebound this preseason Extra large. Apart from Leo’s first goal of the year and one of his assists, Tata Martino’s team loses 4-3 Al Hilal at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, who received the 10th with bows. The tour continues this Thursday before Al Nassr From Cristiano Ronaldowho is in doubt due to a muscle injury.

The beginning was rather difficult. The difference between a team in full competition and another in full preparation was notable. Al Hilal beat Inter Miami and went into halftime with a completely justified 3-1 victory.

Gerardo Martino put all the meat on the grill: Messi, Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets… But the team led by the Portuguese Jorge Jesus It was too much and it overwhelmed him. The visitors’ five-man defense failed to stop a single move in that disastrous first half.

The players of the Arab team passed everywhere and entered the opponent’s area from the center, from the sides, from above and from below. It took him ten minutes to score the first, which came with a definition from the Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic. Two minutes later, due to defensive carelessness, Abdullah Al-Hamdan scored the second.

Messi and his gestures of annoyance were the summary of a disastrous night for him and his team, who managed to get excited about a comeback when the ball was taken in hand by the Argentine number 10 and he looked for his friend Suárez or some climb by Jordi Alba on the left.

Suárez gave his first shout dressed in pinkbut he had to wait because the referee, Edina Alves (Brazilian), canceled due to non-existent forward position, given that the pass to the Uruguayan was due to a touch by Mohammed Jahfali, an Al Hilal player. Messi and Suarez protested and VAR validated the discount. By the way, Alves became the first woman to serve as head referee in a Messi match.

Rosario took advantage of a mistake by their rivals and scored the equalizer in what seemed like the Florida team’s magical second half. However, that goal was well canceled out by Suárez’s offside early in the game.

And from being close to a draw, Inter Miami lost by two goals. Another example of weak defense, this time also damaged by a terrible start from the goalkeeper Drake Callenderhe finished third for the hosts: the Brazilian Michael, the shortest player on the pitch (166 centimeters tall), did it with a header.

But, as if the break had served to brainwash those in Miami, Messi and his teammates changed face in the second half and came out determined to change history.

And for a moment they succeeded, at least while the best in the world were on the pitch. Leo got active and led his teammates early in the day. First on a penalty, after a foul committed on David Ruiz. Pulga executed her shot precisely, high, impossible for the rival goalkeeper. 8 minutes had passed since the start of the second half.

So, among the three friendlies played this preseason, Lionel Messi took 161 minutes on the pitch to score his first goal of 2024 (he had played 45 minutes in the 0-0 draw against El Salvador and 63 against FC Dallas, both without scoring).

Al Hilal takes away from the center, loses and with a first-rate touch from Messi, Ruiz scores his great goal: 3-3 and now Inter have the courage to win it because in a few minutes they are back in the game. The procedure was balanced and could be suitable for anyone. Martino made some changes, but left Leo. It looked like the Argentine would complete the 90 minutes, but he exited with 3 minutes left, with a conversation with the Argentine coach along the way, which hopefully wasn’t due to any discomfort.

And what fate, in the comedy following the captain’s departure, The Arabs win with a header from Malcom that Callender is unable to contain. Now we’re waiting for Cristiano’s Al Nassr to see if he can win.