Even with their core four, Inter Miami fell short of getting their first win of the year.
Yes, Time flies by fast, and it is time to recap their first week of pre-season.
Soon after their game in San Salvador, Inter Miami wasted no time. The Herons left El Salvador hours after the match to prepare for their second game at the Cotton Bowl last Monday. It meant something special for Dallas since this was their first game played at the Bowl in 15 years. The team coached by Gerardo Martino held an unpleasant result once again after a tie with El Salvador and another tie vs. Dallas.
Unlike the first game in El Salvador with a Cuscatlán Stadium near full capacity, the game kicked off with poor attendance; a cold rainy day prevented people from showing up on time. As the game progressed, attendance started to become more noticeable. Regardless of the weather conditions, people responded to the Messi effect.
It is undeniable that Messi and Suarez still have that intact connection when making plays and getting the ball to the rival zone. However, the gap of 10 games without knowing the victory generates all kinds of speculation, criticism, and questions about how the team will perform at the edge of the next campaign in just less than a month.
It did not take a little bit of time to upset the team. Jesus Ferrera, the crucial player for FC Dallas, delivered the first knockout blow in the first 3 minutes of the game. The impressive performance on the defensive side left Miami with few options and opportunities to equalize; we must mention the remarkable performance of Maarten Paes, denying Suarez’s efforts to score.
Once again, Gerardo Martino did the same formula, substituting Messi and Suarez in the 63rd minute of the game to give minutes to other team players. At the same time, Jesus Ferrera left the field due to an apparent injury.
With the absences of Benjamin Cresmaschi (Hernia) and Facundo Farias (ACL), it will likely take time for Messi and the rest of the team to acclimate to the new changes and find the result during this preseason. The chemistry and the formula are there, but it is just a matter of finding the equation to get a good result. The new additions of Nicholas Freire, Luis Suarez, and Julian Gressel hope to contribute to the club’s success this year.
Inter Miami held training sessions in Miami, FL, and flew to Saudi Arabia last Thursday, Jan 25. The club continues to hold training sessions for their next match-up vs. Al-Hilal on Jan 29 and the last dance between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 1st.