Lionel Messi’s frustration was evident as Inter Miami’s dismal form continued with a 3-0 home defeat to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday.
The loss in the Florida derby means Miami have now recorded just one win in their last seven matches across all competitions. The defeat drops them to sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, with Orlando City moving ahead of them.
Messi, who managed only two shots on target and misfired on a free-kick, mirrored the team’s poor performance with a dip in his own form.
“Now is when we’ll really find out if we’re a team during difficult moments, because when everything is going well, it’s easy,” Messi told Apple TV.
“In tough times, we need to be more united than ever, act like a real team, and regroup,” he added.
Although Messi expressed concerns about the refereeing, the defeat had more to do with Miami’s chaotic defending, uncoordinated midfield, and an ineffective attacking line led by an increasingly ineffective Luis Suarez.
Orlando opened the scoring in the 43rd minute with a straightforward goal. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese launched a long ball upfield, which Luis Muriel latched onto before calmly slotting past Oscar Ustari.
The visitors consistently found success going direct, easily bypassing Miami’s disorganized backline. Argentine winger Martin Ojeda squandered a chance to extend the lead when he broke clear but fired over the bar.
Veteran Miami goalkeeper Ustari made an excellent double save but was at fault for Orlando’s second goal. Marco Pasalic fired a low shot from the edge of the area that slipped through both Ustari’s hands and legs.
In an attempt to salvage something, coach Javier Mascherano brought on more attacking players, but it proved futile. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Duncan McGuire broke down the left wing and delivered a low cross that Icelandic forward Dagur Thorhallsson converted, sealing a commanding win for Orlando.
Miami have now conceded 20 goals in their last seven games, with their sole victory in that span coming against the New York Red Bulls on May 3.
Mascherano admitted the opening goal shifted the game’s momentum.
“For the first 25 or 30 minutes, we had complete control and were playing in the opponent’s half. But this is the reality — I can’t ignore the result,” he said.
“We simply can’t afford the mistakes we’re making. It’s obvious. And at this point, it’s pointless for me to keep saying this because it keeps happening.”
He acknowledged that the coaching staff shares responsibility.
“It’s clear we as coaches are failing in various areas, and we need to find solutions so that we stop failing and the team can start producing results,” Mascherano added.
Miami had been performing well earlier in the season, but their elimination from the CONCACAF Champions Cup by the Vancouver Whitecaps appears to have dented their confidence.
“Something has clearly happened that’s caused the team to lose a great deal of confidence. Our level has dropped, both individually and collectively,” said Mascherano. “We’ve tried different systems and lineups, but the struggle continues. We’ll keep working to find answers.”
In the Los Angeles derby, former Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus scored twice, including a dramatic 87th-minute equalizer, as the winless LA Galaxy secured a 2-2 draw at home against Los Angeles FC.
Reus gave the Galaxy — the defending champions who have endured the worst start to a season in MLS history — an early lead with a close-range finish in the sixth minute.
Denis Bouanga equalized in the 13th minute with a spectacular goal, cutting inside onto his right foot and blasting an unstoppable shot into the far corner.
LAFC took the lead in the 50th minute when Ryan Hollingshead fed Nathan Ordaz, who finished first time to make it 2-1.
But Reus, the 35-year-old former Germany international, earned a point for Galaxy with a beautifully curled free-kick three minutes from time.
