Lionel Messi and Inter Miami received some vengeance for final season’s playoff upset. {Photograph}: Colin Hubbard/AP
It was a nightmare for Inter Miami.
Bartosz Slisz had simply fired Atlanta United forward within the decisive match of their first-round playoff collection final season. Strive as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami would possibly, they couldn’t equalize and have been compelled to observe because the clock ticked in direction of 90 minutes. Their record-breaking common season had rapidly changed into a distinct type of record-breaking postseason: the 34-point hole between Miami and Atlanta on the finish of the 34-game schedule made it the .
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Inter Miami’s first full yr with Messi had . And for Messi and his longtime Barcelona teammates? Properly, failure doesn’t have a tendency to sit down effectively. That’s why so many had Sunday evening’s conflict between Inter Miami and Atlanta United circled in crimson on the calendar.
Regardless of a gradual begin that emphasised a few of Miami’s defensive frailties on an early concession, Messi put his stamp on a 2-1 win later within the first half. Upon seeing none apart from Slisz on the ball, the Argentinian sprinted to shut down the midfielder (a uncommon sight for Messi nowadays) earlier than choosing his pocket, and, effectively, see for your self:
There was no want for a reminder, however Messi gave Atlanta United one anyway: he doesn’t prefer to lose. Via eight video games throughout all competitions to date in 2025, Inter Miami nonetheless haven’t misplaced – and Messi has solely simply began scoring in league play. Their revenge tour has begun. JL
No masking Luna’s expertise
In Actual Salt Lake’s win over Houston, the masks lastly got here off.
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The masks in query, after all, was Diego Luna’s – the Actual Salt Lake midfielder wanted to put on it for the primary few video games of the season after breaking his nostril within the US males’s nationwide crew’s January win over Costa Rica. Regardless of the damage, the masks carried constructive connotations – it was a visible reminder of the impression Luna made on USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino by taking part in on and with a damaged nostril.
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That efficiency was certainly one of many causes Luna will be a part of the total senior crew in Los Angeles this week for the Concacaf Nations League finals. His play on Saturday was consultant of one other: Luna is likely one of the finest younger attacking gamers in MLS.
Together with his nostril healed sufficient to make the protecting masks pointless, Luna showcased why so many consider he might be an necessary a part of the nationwide crew’s evolution. He was irrepressible towards the Houston Dynamo, scoring the winner by first scrapping for the ball on the byline after which firing a bullet header into the again of the web from a cross. It was Luna’s play for the primary RSL aim, nonetheless, that ought to have USMNT followers most excited – a sign that he might be the No 10 they’ve been ready for.
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Trapped out by the touchline, Luna first wriggled via two Houston gamers. He then continued his run into the half-space and slotted via a line-breaking go for Emeka Eneli to sq. to Diogo Gonçalves for the straightforward end. It was a second that highlighted how Luna is flourishing in all areas of his sport, having been hyped for years.
Pochettino could resist the temptation to throw Luna into his beginning lineup for Thursday’s Nations League semi-final towards Panama, however the 21-year-old might nonetheless be a key determine. Beneath Gregg Berhalter, the USMNT continuously struggled to interrupt down low defensive blocks. Panama might set as much as exacerbate this weak spot. Luna might be the answer, with or with out the masks. GR
Whitecaps, standing tall
The perfect crew in america’ prime division of males’s soccer is likely to be Canadian. Within the present political local weather, some could wish to whisper this quietly, others could wish to shout it out loud, however of the 30 groups in MLS, it’s the Vancouver Whitecaps who’ve made probably the most spectacular begin in continental and home play.
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There is a component of shock to this given there’s uncertainty off the sphere, because the Whitecaps possession group is within the strategy of promoting the membership, and a few disruption on the sphere because the crew have missed key participant Ryan Gauld via damage for the previous two video games. In addition they have a brand new head coach, Jesper Sørensen, and a collection of ups and downs would usually be anticipated as gamers get used to new strategies and tweaked techniques. The Whitecaps have skipped all that, and have gotten straight to profitable.
Vancouver achieved a historic Concacaf Champions Cup victory on away targets towards Liga MX big Monterrey final week, making the Whitecaps one among solely three MLS groups to beat Mexican opposition at that stage. After Saturday’s 1-0 win over FC Dallas, they stand as the one crew within the league with an ideal document.
A run within the Concacaf Champions Cup is meant to hinder early-season MLS type, however the Whitecaps’ metrics in each assault and protection are among the many finest within the league. The defensive components have been on present this weekend as Sørensen’s crew didn’t enable FC Dallas to muster a single shot on the right track via 90 minutes.
The Whitecaps are unbeaten in seven video games throughout the 2 competitions which have kicked off the brand new season, whereas 19 gamers have seen over 100 minutes of sport time already because the Danish coach rotates his squad to nice impact.
There’s a protracted season forward, and a giant quarter-final tie towards Pumas UNAM to come back within the Champions Cup subsequent month, however such a formidable begin is price shouting about. JN
