Latest news with #AmericasTour
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lionel Messi scores, gets two assists as Inter Miami beats Olimpia 5-0 in Honduras
The Inter Miami team bus was wrapped in pink and advertised Saturday night's preseason game against Honduran club Olimpia as 'El Evento Del Siglo' (The Event of the Century). Fans lined the streets of San Pedro Sula to get a glimpse of Lionel Messi and his teammates as they pulled into their hotel and again as the team headed to the stadium. Honduran television crews had been broadcasting live at Estadio Olimpico since Friday night. Street vendors sold every imaginable Messi souvenir, including bobble heads. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake was registered north of Honduras in the Caribbean Sea less than two hours before kickoff, but it did not affect the game. Messi gave the crowd a lasting memory, scoring a goal and delivering two assists to lead Miami to a 5-0 victory. The Argentine captain played 63 minutes and was replaced by 17-year-old Santi Morales. The other Inter Miami goals were scored by Fede Redondo, Noah Allen, Luis Suarez, and Ryan Sailor, who came off the bench in the 71st minute. 'Lots of goals [from the team] and a clean sheet, which was really important,' said defender Ian Fray, who started and played 60 minutes. 'That's one of our goals. We know we can score, but we have to keep clean sheets. Every practice we feel more confident. We're ready to go.' It was the third win during Inter Miami's Americas Tour, following victories against Universitario in Peru and San Miguelito in Panama. The team is undefeated through four preseason games under new coach Javier Mascherano. Messi scored in the 27th minute and assisted on Redondo's goal in the 44th minute and Allen's goal in first half added time. Miami led 3-0 at halftime. Luis Suarez, who assisted on Messi's goal, scored his first goal the preseason in the 54th minute with an assist from Benja Cremaschi. Sailor's goal came off a pass from Leo Afonso. Inter Miami was missing left back Jordi Alba, who was injured and did not travel. Alba suffered an unspecified injury during the previous game in Panama last weekend, per a team spokesperson. He did not participate in the two open media training sessions during the week. The Miami starters were: Oscar Ustari, David Martinez, Ian Fray, Allen, Marcelo Weigandt, Sergio Busquets, Redondo, David Ruiz, Suarez, Tadeo Allende, and Messi. 'It was great to be out there in front of the fans, being back from injury is really nice and getting 60 minutes under my belt,' said Fray, who has overcome four knee injuries. It was a special game for Ruiz, a Honduran American who was celebrating his 21st birthday on Saturday and playing on his parents' home soil. Ruiz grew up in Little Havana, where his mother, Alba, owns and runs a Honduran restaurant. The entire Ruiz family traveled to the game. Ruiz was greeted at the hotel with a birthday cake. Players who came off the bench included Rocco Rios Novo, Sailor, Fafa Picault, Yannick Bright, Tyler Hall, Julian Gressel, Cremaschi, Robert Taylor, Afonso, Morales, and Gonzalo Lujan, who made his Inter Miami debut. The team was scheduled to fly back to Fort Lauderdale Saturday night and there were reports Messi would attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday, which would make sense he has endorsement deals with Michelob Ultra and Lay's potato chips. Inter Miami concludes its preseason on Friday night in Tampa against Orlando City. The team kicks off the Concacaf Champions Cup on Feb. 18 on the road against Sporting Kansas City and opens the MLS season Feb. 22 at home against New York City FC at 2:30 p.m. Tickets for the season opener are available through TicketMaster.
Miami Herald
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Crowd of 80,000 expected in Peru on Wednesday to see Messi, Inter Miami vs. Universitario
A sellout crowd of 80,000 is expected at Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday night as Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates play a preseason game against Universitario. It is the second preseason match under new coach Javier Mascherano and the first stop of their Americas Tour, which includes a match Sunday in Panama City against Sporting San Miguelito and Feb. 8 against Olimpia in Honduras. Inter Miami players expect a passionate and wildly enthusiastic crowd in Lima, and a lot more love for Messi than he got against Mexican club America in Las Vegas 10 days ago. A large segment of America fans jeered Messi incessantly, leading him to taunt them when he scored, pointing to the back of his jersey, holding up three fingers and then pointing to the crowd and making a zero with his fingers, as if to say 'My country, Argentina, three World Cup titles, your country zero.' Also, Argentina has beaten Mexico during the past three World Cups. 'I think in all of Latin America, maybe because of bitterness or something else, the only country that doesn't enjoy seeing Leo is Mexico,' said Argentine Inter Miami midfielder Fede Redondo. 'But I think Peru will enjoy the festivities and how great it is to see the best in the world.' Defender Noah Allen, a Pembroke Pines native, says he never tires of Messi mania, even though it means mobs around team hotels and on the way to stadiums. 'It doesn't surprise us anymore,' Allen said. 'It's definitely cool. We're grateful for it, try to take it in. A lot of fans show up for every game, but especially in those types of countries. We get bombarded at the hotel. Instead of seeing the negative of it, we try to see the positive. Not only are they going to see Messi, but the whole team. 'I expect it to be crazy. Great atmosphere around the stadium. Thousands of people at the hotel. Great chance to play in front of 80,000 people.' Fans in the United States wondering how to watch Wednesday's 8 p.m. game should have broadcast information announced by Tuesday at the latest. Details were still being worked out. The team will return home immediately after the match, train in Fort Lauderdale and then head to Panama over the weekend. After the Panama game, the team returns to Fort Lauderdale to prepare for the game in Honduras. Unlike last preseason, when Inter Miami traveled 25,000 miles to play seven matches across five countries, this year's tour is more manageable and easier on the players' bodies. Most of the roster is healthy and will travel. Missing from training on Monday were goalkeepers Drake Callender, who is recovering from an unspecified minor injury, and Oscar Ustari, who went to Peru early to finalize visa paperwork. Defender David Martinez also was in Peru getting visa worked out. Recent signees Tadeo Allende and Telasco Segovia are also awaiting visas; and it is unknown if they will be able to travel. Allende is an Argentine forward who was signed on loan from Spanish club Celta Vigo. Segovia is a Venezuelan midfielder who came from Portuguese club Casa Pia. Reports from Chilean media said Inter Miami is negotiating a deal to sign Uruguayan defender Maxi Falcon, who plays for Colo Colo. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Allen is doing all he can to help the team. His versatility, work ethic and team-first attitude impressed former coach Tata Martino and Mascherano has praised him, as well. Allen said he has learned from both coaches. '[Mascherano] is one of the best center backs ever to play at Barca,' Allen said. 'Similar to me, he transitioned to center back. I don't consider myself the fulltime center back, but I am learning. He is very experienced and classy. 'I just try to do my job, whatever the position. Left back is my preferred position but I feel I learned a lot from coach Tata last year and he prepared me for this. I've done well enough to play in these type of games. I am ready to do whatever the coach and team want me to do. I'm not going to complain. I just study and learn.'
