Inter Miami suffered a heavy 3-0 loss to Charlotte FC, a match that highlighted the struggling form of Argentine star Lionel Messi, who even missed a poorly executed penalty. Coach Javier Mascherano spoke about the situation following the defeat.
During the post-match press conference, Mascherano addressed Messi’s missed penalty and its impact on the game, while also showing empathy and making it clear that one mistake did not define the team’s overall performance.
“I don’t think the penalty impacted the result,” Mascherano said. “We can’t be unfair and single out Messi for that. These are game situations. If anyone helps us win, it’s Leo. Beyond that unfortunate play, in the first 20 minutes we controlled the match.”
With the loss, Inter Miami dropped to eighth place in the Eastern Conference, leaving them outside the direct playoff spots. The team now has 46 points in 26 games, putting pressure on every remaining match. With so little margin for error, each upcoming fixture becomes crucial for its postseason hopes.
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami.
Key moments that defined the match
Charlotte FC immediately capitalized on Messi’s missed penalty, saved by Croatian goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina at the 32nd minute. Seconds later, Idan Toklomati opened the scoring, beginning his hat trick.
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Video: Lionel Messi misses penalty for Inter Miami right before Charlotte FC take the lead
Thanks to Toklomati’s efficiency, Charlotte added two more goals at the 47th and 84th minutes, the latter from a penalty after a foul by Sergio Busquets. Mascherano commented: “That first goal really hurt us, but we managed to regain control for a while. The second goal also affected us, and after Tomás Avilés was sent off, there was no way back.”
In three of their last four away matches, Inter Miami suffered heavy losses: 4-1 against Orlando City, 3-0 to the Seattle Sounders, and 3-0 versus Charlotte FC, along with a 1-1 draw against DC United, the bottom team in the Eastern Conference.
