Lionel Messi’s frustration continued to mount as Inter Miami suffered a humiliating 3-0 home loss to Orlando City in the Florida Derby on Sunday, deepening their slump in the Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign.
The defeat leaves Miami with just one win in their last seven matches across all competitions, as they dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference, overtaken by their in-state rivals.
Messi Off Form, Suarez Fading
Messi, visibly agitated, managed only two shots on target and misfired on a trademark free-kick, reflecting a personal dip in form that mirrored his team’s wider struggles. Speaking to Apple TV after the match, he offered a sobering assessment:
“Now we’ll truly see if we’re a team in difficult times, because when everything’s going well it’s very easy,” Messi said. “In tough moments, we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and pull ourselves together.”
Inter’s attack, once feared, looked disjointed and slow, with veteran striker Luis Suárez earning a yellow card and offering little upfront.
Orlando Capitalizes on Miami’s Defensive Chaos
Orlando City took the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal born of sheer simplicity—goalkeeper Pedro Gallese launched a long ball that found Luis Muriel, who coolly slotted past Miami’s 38-year-old keeper Oscar Ustari.
Moments later, Martin Ojeda missed a golden chance, but it didn’t matter. In the second half, Marco Pašalić doubled the lead with a low shot that went through Ustari’s hands and legs—another glaring error.
As Miami chased the game, Dagur Þórhallsson sealed the victory for Orlando in the 94th minute, finishing off a counterattack led by Duncan McGuire.
Mascherano: “We Are Failing”
Head coach Javier Mascherano admitted serious failings after yet another defensive collapse.
“I’d say for 25 or 30 minutes we had it completely under control… but clearly, we can’t afford the mistakes we make,” Mascherano lamented. “We as a coaching staff are failing in many of these ways. We have to find a way around them.”
Miami has now conceded 20 goals in their last seven games, with their only win coming against the New York Red Bulls on May 3.
Mascherano noted that morale has been low since their exit from the CONCACAF Champions Cup, a blow that seemingly triggered the team’s decline.
“Clearly something has happened where the team has lost a lot of confidence… We’ve tried different schemes and names, and still today we are hurting.”
Elsewhere: Reus Rescues Galaxy in LA Derby
In the Los Angeles derby, Marco Reus scored twice, including a stunning 87th-minute equalizer, to salvage a 2-2 draw for the winless LA Galaxy against Los Angeles FC.
The 35-year-old former Borussia Dortmund star gave the Galaxy the lead early, but Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz flipped the game in LAFC’s favor. Reus then curled in a sublime free-kick to snatch a point for the defending champions, who are enduring the worst season start in MLS history.
