Preseason preparations have not gone as planned for The Herons, who recorded their third defeat in four games against Al-Nassr.
Joe Brennanj4brennanWilliam GittinsWillGittUpdate: Feb 2nd, 2024 05:17 EST
-AFP
Inter Miami have been touted by many as early MLS Cup contenders in 2024, but their preseason preparations have done little to burnish their title-winning credentials.
After failing to win in their opening three friendly fixtures – two defeats and a goalless draw – the Herons took on Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr on Thursday, hoping to pick up their first victory of 2024. It was not to be.
The Saudi hosts were without Cristiano Ronaldo and Miami began with Lionel Messi on the bench. The game had been billed as a clash of the finest two players of their generation but what materialised was a chastening display of Inter Miami’s frailties as Al-Nassr ran out 6-0 winners.
Today's final#AlNassrvsInterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/ItXofJVXTG
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) February 1, 2024
The final scoreline was the result of defensive blunders, goalkeeping mistakes and some clinical finishing from Al-Nassr, but the most enduring impression will be of an Inter Miami team who looked some way short of the finished article. The six-goal deficit is the largest defeat suffered by Inter Miami since they began life in MLS in 2020.
The only mitigating factor for Tata Martino’s side was that the Al-Nassr defeat came in a preseason friendly, with no competitive stakes on the game. Here’s the greatest victories and most crushing defeats suffered by Inter Miami in competitive fixtures…
Inter Miami’s biggest competitive wins
The Herons are about to embark on their fifth season in MLS so they have relatively few fixtures to draw upon to find their biggest victories. However, one point is very apparent from the dates of these wins, most of them occurred after July 2023; Lionel Messi’s arrival.
Of the five largest winning margins in franchise history, four of them came in the three months after Messi joined the club. In fact, three came in the Herons’ run to a historic 2023 Leagues Cup triumph, highlighting Messi’s immediate impact on the team’s fortunes.
| Date | Competition | Opponent | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2021 | MLS | FC Cincinnati | 5-1 |
| September 2023 | MLS | Toronto FC | 4-0 |
| August 2023 | Leagues Cup | Charlotte FC | 4-0 |
| September 2023 | Leagues Cup | Atlanta United | 4-0 |
| August 2023 | Leagues Cup | Philadelphia Union | 1-4 |
Inter Miami’s biggest competitive defeats
In a similar vein, it is little surprise to see that Miami’s heaviest defeats came BM (Before Messi). The record-largest loss came in July 2021 against then-Eastern Conference leaders New England Revolution. The Revs took a four-goal lead shortly before the break and outplayed a Miami side who went on to finish 11th in the East in their second season in MLS.
| Date | Competition | Opponent | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2021 | MLS | New England Revolution | 0-5 |
| March 2022 | MLS | Austin FC | 5-1 |
| September 2021 | MLS | Nashville SC | 1-5 |
| October 2021 | MLS | Columbus Crew | 4-0 |
| September 2021 | MLS | New York Red Bulls | 0-4 |
What next for Inter Miami?
The Al-Nassr loss crystallizes Miami’s preseason struggles. With Messi absent, the Herons looked short of ideas going forward and their defensive issues were apparent once again. Tata Martino looks wedded to the 5-3-2 formation that he used towards the end of 2023 but the lack of width in attacking areas reduces Miami’s passing options and makes it difficult for the team – who struggle out of possession – to keep the ball.
No Ronaldo? Don’t worry.. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zpWf9XIbwn
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 1, 2024
One new concern for Miami was the performance of Drake Callender, who impressed in 2023. He conceded a long-range lob from Aymeric Laporte and his miscalculation saw Al-Nassr win a penalty in the second half. On the AppleTV+ coverage, commentator Taylor Twellman was unimpressed with the USMNT stopper’s showing.
