Messi’s Magic Not Enough as Inter Miami Falls to Minnesota United
Updated: May 10, 2025, 09:06 pm
In a match that had fans on the edge of their seats, Lionel Messi’s fifth MLS goal of the season was a dazzling display of skill, but it wasn’t enough to save his Inter Miami team from a crushing 4-1 defeat at the hands of Minnesota United in St. Paul on Saturday.
The match was a rollercoaster of emotions for Inter Miami fans, who watched as Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Anthony Markanich, and Robin Lod each found the back of the net, handing Inter Miami (6-2-3, 21 points) its heaviest loss in any game where Messi has played.
For Minnesota (6-2-4, 22 points), this victory marked a significant turnaround. After beating Austin 3-0 in their previous match to end a three-game winless streak, they have now secured back-to-back wins, much to the delight of their fans.
Inter Miami faced additional challenges as they played without forward Luis Suárez, who was absent due to personal reasons, and left winger Fafà Picault, who was sidelined by illness.
Hlongwane opened the scoring for Minnesota in the 32nd minute with his first goal of the season. The goal was a result of a perfectly timed run behind the defense, connecting with a ball played ahead by Carlos Harvey for a one-touch finish inside the back post from the right corner of the 6-yard box.
As the first half drew to a close, Markanich doubled Minnesota’s lead in stoppage time. This was his second goal in as many games and the third of his four-year MLS career. The goal came from a long throw-in by Michael Boxall to the near post, where Nicolás Romero flicked a header backward to Markanich, who finished with a header from point-blank range. It was Romero’s first career assist, a notable achievement for the 21-year-old in his first MLS season.
Messi, ever the magician, pulled one back for Miami in the 48th minute. He received a cross from Jordi Alba and expertly rolled a shot from the left-center of the area past the outstretched arm of diving goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair inside the back post.
However, any hopes of a comeback were dashed when an own goal by Miami’s Marcelo Weigandt made it 3-1 in the 68th minute. Just two minutes later, Lod sealed the victory for Minnesota with a one-touch finish from a pass by Tani Oluwaseyi, marking his first goal of the season.
Inter Miami had previously bounced back from their first loss of the season, a 4-3 defeat to Dallas at home on April 27, by defeating the New York Red Bulls 4-1. However, this latest defeat to Minnesota was a stark reminder of the challenges they face.
Interestingly, the only other meeting between these two clubs saw Miami triumph 2-1 at home in June of 2022. But this time, Minnesota had the upper hand, leaving Miami to regroup and strategize for their upcoming matches.
- Inter Miami’s record: 6-2-3, 21 points
- Minnesota United’s record: 6-2-4, 22 points
- Key players absent for Miami: Luis Suárez, Fafà Picault
Information from Field Level Media and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN
