Fans of Inter Miami were scared for the worst against Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, as the MLS club went down 2-0 in the opening 13 minutes of proceedings.
Aleksandar Mitrovic netted the opener for the Saudi Arabian club in the 10th minute before Abdullah Al Hamddan made it 2 to the good for the home side 3 minutes later.
It appeared like we were going to see a bashing in the friendly encounter, with Al Hilal going on a rampage in the early stages of the clash.
In the 34th minute, Luis Suarez netted his first goal for Inter Miami to halve the deficit, however, in the dying stages of the first 45, Michael made it 3 for the home side.
It was truly an entertaining affair between both teams, which could have turned out differently depending on the performances of the players.
Lionel Messi scored the 2nd goal for Tata Martino's side in the 54th minute, sending the ball into the roof of the net via a penalty.
In quick succession, David Ruiz brought back Inter Miami on level terms and it looked like Al Hilal were in sight of an impending implosion.
Anyway, the game got very intense from then on until the latter stages of the clash, before Malcom stepped up for the Blue Waves in the 88th minute, ultimately condemning the Herons to a defeat.
Lionel Messi's side are winless in 11 matches, last getting a victory on September 21, 2023, in a major league soccer encounter, defeating Toronto FC 4-0.
Despite the arrival of Luis Suarez into their fold, they have experienced more bruises than roses thus far.
Inter Miami have lost in 3 of their 4 preseason friendly fixtures, losing 1-2 to New York City FC in November 2024, 1-0 to FC Dallas, and 4-3 to Al Hilal in January 2024.
They managed to hold El Salvador to a draw on January 20, 2024, a fixture where Luis Suarez made his debut for the Miami-based club.
Having finished one spot off the bottom side in the Eastern Conference and failing to qualify for the MLS playoffs in 2023, fans are expecting an upturn in fortunes for the team.
It will be interesting to see how the likes of Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Lionel Messi fit in together, to help Inter Miami achieve their ambitions in 2024.
Messi joined the MLS side in July 2023, after exiting Paris Saint Germain at the end of the 2022/23 season, and he was subsequently joined by Alba and Busquets.
However, Lionel Messi looked keen on playing alongside Suarez and as such, reports indicate that he played a key role in the Uruguayan decision to join Inter Miami.
Inter Miami return to action on Thursday, February 1, 2024, facing Al Nassr in a friendly affair, with Cristiano Ronaldo expected to be absent from the clash due to a calf injury.
Aleksandar Mitrovic netted the opener for the Saudi Arabian club in the 10th minute before Abdullah Al Hamddan made it 2 to the good for the home side 3 minutes later.
It appeared like we were going to see a bashing in the friendly encounter, with Al Hilal going on a rampage in the early stages of the clash.
In the 34th minute, Luis Suarez netted his first goal for Inter Miami to halve the deficit, however, in the dying stages of the first 45, Michael made it 3 for the home side.
It was truly an entertaining affair between both teams, which could have turned out differently depending on the performances of the players.
Lionel Messi scored the 2nd goal for Tata Martino's side in the 54th minute, sending the ball into the roof of the net via a penalty.
In quick succession, David Ruiz brought back Inter Miami on level terms and it looked like Al Hilal were in sight of an impending implosion.
Anyway, the game got very intense from then on until the latter stages of the clash, before Malcom stepped up for the Blue Waves in the 88th minute, ultimately condemning the Herons to a defeat.
Lionel Messi's side are winless in 11 matches, last getting a victory on September 21, 2023, in a major league soccer encounter, defeating Toronto FC 4-0.
Despite the arrival of Luis Suarez into their fold, they have experienced more bruises than roses thus far.
Inter Miami have lost in 3 of their 4 preseason friendly fixtures, losing 1-2 to New York City FC in November 2024, 1-0 to FC Dallas, and 4-3 to Al Hilal in January 2024.
They managed to hold El Salvador to a draw on January 20, 2024, a fixture where Luis Suarez made his debut for the Miami-based club.
Having finished one spot off the bottom side in the Eastern Conference and failing to qualify for the MLS playoffs in 2023, fans are expecting an upturn in fortunes for the team.
It will be interesting to see how the likes of Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Lionel Messi fit in together, to help Inter Miami achieve their ambitions in 2024.
Messi joined the MLS side in July 2023, after exiting Paris Saint Germain at the end of the 2022/23 season, and he was subsequently joined by Alba and Busquets.
However, Lionel Messi looked keen on playing alongside Suarez and as such, reports indicate that he played a key role in the Uruguayan decision to join Inter Miami.
Inter Miami return to action on Thursday, February 1, 2024, facing Al Nassr in a friendly affair, with Cristiano Ronaldo expected to be absent from the clash due to a calf injury.