Lionel Messi was relatively quiet in the first half, but Sunday night's game against visiting Los Angeles Galaxy Inter Miami got off to a hot start to conclude the first weekend of the 2024 MLS season.
Galaxy stars Riqui Puig and Joseph Paintsil have fired shots into Inter Miami's net, but the best player of the game so far has been goalkeeper Drake Callender.
Callender made three saves early on as Inter Miami and LA Galaxy went into halftime tied 0-0. The match is available to stream with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Messi took one kick towards the net in the first half, but was unable to convert the shot. Just before the half-time whistle, he almost gave chances to Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. However, Suarez was not ready to take a shot on goal and Alba was ruled offside.
The Galaxy dominated possession early on, but Callender held Inter Miami back in this game late on.
As MLS begins its 29th season, Messi remains the hottest player since joining Inter Miami last summer. He also surpassed 500 million followers on Instagram this weekend, making him one of the most followed people on the social media app.
LA Galaxy's Edwin Cerillo challenges Messi, Luis Suarez interjects: Inter Miami 0, LA Galaxy 0
Messi and Galaxy's Edwin Cerrillo exchanged a series of words with each other in 35 matchesth Minutes.
This caused Luis Suarez to come and intervene, but pushed Cerrillo away.
Messi and Cerillo continued to speak out after the game as tensions rose in Los Angeles.
Messi kicks towards the net but doesn't go far enough: Inter Miami 0, LA Galaxy 0
Messi tried to kick towards the net for the first time, but could not kick it enough in 30 minutesth Minutes.
Messi took the ball off a deflection and Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy secured the ball.
Another epic save by Drake Callender: Inter Miami 0, LA Galaxy 0
Los Angeles Galaxy's Riqui Puig's powerful shot was blocked by Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender in the 28th minute.th Minutes.
Callender was the best player to ever be on the field for Inter Miami.
Drake Callender blocks Joseph Paintsil's shot: Inter Miami 0, LA Galaxy 0
LA Galaxy's Joseph Paintsil has a shot on goal blocked by Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender in the 25th minute.th Minutes. The Galaxy dominated the first half against Inter Miami.
Sergio Busquets' struggle: Inter Miami 0, Los Angeles Galaxy 0
In the 23rd minute, after a Los Angeles Galaxy free kick chance, Yoshida's header went off target.rd Minutes.
No player struggled more in the early stages of the game than Inter Miami's Sergio Busquets, who was given a yellow card for tripping Josef Paintsil.
Drake Callender blocks Riqui Puig's penalty: Inter Miami 0, LA Galaxy 0
Galaxy had chances to take the lead early on, but Inter Miami stopped all of them.
Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender saves Riqui Puig's penalty in the 12th minuteth 1 minute left to tie the game at 0.
Inter Miami's Sergio Busquets pulled Galaxy's Josef Paintsil on the shoulder, causing a foul.
Initial issues with Inter Miami reserve referee for Los Angeles game against Galaxy
LA Galaxy star Riqui Puig appeared to have scored safely after being fouled by Inter Miami's Sergio Busquets in the opening minutes.
As MLS announcer Taylor Twellman said on the air, the assistant referee who called the game also pointed in the wrong direction when he blew his whistle.
Messi's Instagram followers exceed 500 million
Messi is the second person to go viral on Instagram in rare cases. Has at least 500 million followers on social media networks. Every soccer fan knows who has the most accounts, but here are the top 10 most followed accounts on Instagram.
Will Messi play today? Inter Miami vs LA Galaxy starting lineup
Messi will be in the starting lineup and will wear the Inter Miami shirt This will be the second time since Messi joined the club that he will wear the black Noche Buena jersey in a regular season match.
Messi and Inter Miami players arrive for match against LA Galaxy
Messi and Luis Suarez were all smiles as they stepped off the Inter Miami bus for tonight's match. Here is the video from MLS:
David Beckham, Inter Miami return to Los Angeles for game against Galaxy
Former Los Angeles Galaxy standout David Beckham is joining new team Inter Miami for Sunday's game.
While many European stars have graced MLS in recent years, Beckham's 2007-2012 run is arguably the most memorable and pivotal moment in the league's history. It was during his time with LA Galaxy.
After all, without Beckham for the LA Galaxy, there would be no Messi for Inter Miami.
Inter Miami vs. LA Galaxy betting odds
Inter Miami +130 to win, LA Galaxy +170 to win, both teams +280 to tie on the money line Odds from BetMGM.
Inter Miami vs LA Galaxy predictions
∎ Safid Deen – Inter Miami 4, LA Galaxy 1
Messi scored twice, Luis Suarez scored another, and another Inter Miami player scored in a 4-1 win over LA Galaxy.
∎ Jim Reineking – Inter Miami 3, LA Galaxy 1
The Galaxy, a former MLS powerhouse, spent the offseason undergoing an aggressive roster overhaul to improve a team that finished 13th in the Western Conference last season. The Galaxy added designated players Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Peck to form an offensive line with incumbent Riqui Puig. It appears that the Galaxy's strategy may be to outscore their opponents, as their defense remains the team's obvious weakness. Paintsil and Peck will have to get used to their new teammates, but Lionel Messi and company have already played regular season games. In Carson, it could be a one-way street with a Galaxy team in transition.
Messi and Inter Miami win the opening game 2-0
Messi scored both goals, although he didn't score. Inter Miami's goal in a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake in the 2024 MLS season opener on Wednesday night.
Messi assisted Robert Taylor's first goal of the season in the 39th minute.th He dropped a pass to Suarez in the 1st minute and assisted Diego Gomez's goal in the 83rd minute.rd The moment the match starts.
Messi and Suarez each tried one last shot on goal in the final moments of the game, but it was in vain.
When was the last time Inter Miami played in Los Angeles?
Messi gave 2 assists On September 3, 2023, Inter Miami defeated LAFC 3-1, with celebrities such as Prince Harry, Leonardo DiCaprio and Selena Gomez in attendance.
Real Salt Lake's Andrew Brody, the player who dribbled past Messi while he was lying on the pitch in the season opener, mentioned the play on his Instagram account on Thursday.
“For those who ask, I was a cone on the ground there.” Brody posted on his Instagram One day after the game.
Messi could play in two friendlies against Argentina this March
Argentina will play El Salvador on March 22nd at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and Nigeria on March 26th at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Major League Soccer is making a comeback in the United States, and we can thank Lionel Messi for it. Messi joined the team for his first full season after joining last summer and wowed fans by leading the club to the League Cup title a month after joining. Expectations are even higher in 2024.
But fans will have to temper their expectations of how much, if any, they will see of Messi as the 36-year-old star has a grueling schedule ahead of him.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi will be in his first full season with Inter Miami CF. Messi's presence makes Inter Miami the favorites to win the MLS Cup, which will be held on December 7th.
Are those high expectations for Messi and Miami justified? USA TODAY Network's soccer reporters and writers aren't so sure.
Inter Miami season opening schedule
(All games available for streaming MLS Season Pass is available on Apple TV. )
- February 21: Inter Miami 2, Real Salt Lake 0
- February 25th, Los Angeles Galaxy, 8:30pm ET
- March 2nd vs. Orlando City, 4:30pm ET (FOX)
- March 7, Nashville SC/Mocha Winner, 9pm ET (Concacaf Champions League)
- March 10th vs. CF Montreal, 5pm ET
- March 13 vs. Nashville SC/Mocha Winner, 8:15pm ET (Concacaf Champions League)
- March 16, DC United, 2pm ET
➤ Inter Miami 2024 Schedule
Inter Miami was not an elite team in MLS in 2023. In fact, they were outside of the playoff bubble for most of the season. However, they are the favorites to win the MLS Cup in 2024.
Even if Lionel Messi stays healthy, Miami won't just be playing in MLS Cup. They will have to compete against countless great teams, including last year's champion Columbus Crew SC and last year's runner-up Los Angeles FC.
Here are the favorites to win the 2024 MLS Cup, presented by BetMGM.
- Inter Miami (+250)
- Los Angeles FC (+800)
- Columbus Crew (+900)
- FC Cincinnati (+1200)
- Philadelphia Union (+1400)
- New York Red Bulls (+1600)
- Seattle Sounders (+1600)
- Orlando City SC (+2000)
- Atlanta United (+2200)
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