A great goal from Lionel Messi and a miracle from Luis Suárez save the unbeaten Inter Miami, who dream of the Concachampions

It seems they have touched the pride of the ‘Old Guard’ of Inter Miami. Since a reporter from the Los Angeles Times criticized the performance of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and company in the MLS, the hierarchy has been activated. Pulga and the Uruguayan scored a double in the classic against Orlando City, and this Wednesday both converted for a heartbreaking reaction that saved the undefeated 2024 in its premiere in Concacampioni: The Herons rallied from 0-2 to draw and are in a better position for the rematch next Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale.

It cost Inter Miami a visit to Tennessee State. Without Jordi Alba – who remained in Miami with the flu – coach Gerardo Martino sent Federico Redondo onto the field for his first team debut, with just a handful of training sessions with his new teammates and who seemed dazed, also saving himself from a possible card red.

The 2-0 in favor of Nashville, thanks to a great goal by Canadian Jacob Shaffelburg, was the right result for a development that favored the Giallorossi, who even deserved a greater difference.

And Messi? He went from lowest to highest. In this context, he had Inter Miami’s best result in the first half. He hooked it inside the area, tried to finish with the right foot when he went a little long and goalkeeper Joe Willis quickly saved him to avoid what would have been, at that moment, a partial equaliser. Previously he had also tried with his running left foot, in that typical play in which he receives the center from behind, but he didn’t find the goal.

The world champion, who had to have a massage on the back of his right leg, infected his teammates. Because after Nashville forgave Inter Miami, Pulga understood that the time had come to react. And she couldn’t think of a better way than to score a great goal, with one of his trademarks.

Luis Suárez – when not? – he was the one who found it in the crescent of the unmarked area. Messi controlled it, placed it with a pure feint to avoid the legs that were desperately trying to block it and took the shot that hit the right post. Unassailable.

The goal represented much more than the 1-2, because in this Concachampions it still serves as a ‘double’ in the event of an overall draw. It also allowed him to unlock another level in his professional career.

But this Inter Miami 2024 version seems to have an edge and a decidedly winning lineage. Messi had already done it when at 92 years old he scored the 1-1 away against Los Angeles.

And this Thursday it was Busquets who appeared as a right winger in the last play of the match to launch a precise cross into the heart of the small area, where the Gunslinger did not fail: lethal header and delirium from Inter Miami, to avoid the fall making his debut in an international tournament for the Florida franchise.

The action that paralyzed the hearts of the world of football deserves a separate paragraph: Messi demonstrated that he is made of rubber by receiving one of the hardest kicks of his entire career from Canadian Lukas MacNaughton, who wasn’t even booked.

There will be no time to rest for him InterMiamiwhose series of matches for the double competition will continue with the reception of Montreal, next Sunday at 18:00 (Argentine time) at the Chase Stadium.