Inter Miami’s Icy Triumph: Mascherano’s Take on ‘Inhumane’ Conditions
On a night that could only be described as bone-chilling, Inter Miami CF emerged victorious against Sporting Kansas City with a 1-0 win in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup first round. The match, held at Children’s Mercy Park, was played under conditions that head coach Javier Mascherano did not hesitate to call “inhumane.”
In the post-match press conference, Mascherano expressed his pride in his team’s performance, stating, “I’m very proud because I think it’s impossible to play in these conditions. It is not human, you know, so I’m very proud because they gave me 100% with intensity, with a lot of attitude, so we are happy. We are in the halftime of the qualifiers, so now try to rest after a very difficult game for us.”
The match was initially postponed by 24 hours due to multiple winter storm warnings predicting five to seven inches of snowfall across Kansas City. However, when the game finally kicked off at 7:00 pm CT, the temperatures were a frigid five degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind chill making it feel like negative five degrees. By halftime, the mercury had dropped even further to three degrees Fahrenheit, with a feels-like temperature of negative eight degrees.
Despite the harsh weather, the legendary Lionel Messi managed to shine through the cold, scoring his first official goal of the year. The goal came after a seamless connection with his longtime teammate Sergio Busquets, culminating in a right-footed shot that found the back of the net.
Mascherano was full of praise for Messi, saying, “Fantastic [goal], I think maybe for the people that know him, it’s normal because he did things like this or goals like this 1,000 times, but we are very lucky to have him in our team.”
This victory marks a significant milestone for Mascherano, as it is his first official triumph since being appointed as Inter Miami’s head coach last November, replacing Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino. While Mascherano had led the team to several preseason victories, this Concacaf Champions Cup match was his debut in an official capacity.
For Sporting Kansas City, the road ahead is challenging. They must score at least twice in the second leg of the series to advance to the next round in regulation time. Despite the loss, SKC head coach Peter Vermes commended his players for their performance, stating, “I thought we played really well, we were very organized defensively. We didn’t give anything away. There is one guy [Messi] that can turn the game over and he did.”
Vermes continued to highlight Messi’s unique ability, saying, “It’s not just [what he does] to us, it’s what he does to the whole world, anyone who plays against him. He can change the game himself, and there aren’t many players you can say that about in the world’s game and over generations.”
Looking ahead, Inter Miami will host Sporting Kansas City at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for the second leg of the first-round series. The anticipation is building as fans and players alike prepare for what promises to be an exciting match.
- Key Points:
- Inter Miami CF won 1-0 against Sporting Kansas City in freezing conditions.
- Javier Mascherano described the conditions as “inhumane.”
- Lionel Messi scored his first official goal of the year.
- Sporting Kansas City needs to score twice in the second leg to advance.
- The second leg will be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Originally Written by: Lizzy Becherano
