Lionel Messi's Inter Miami suffered a big defeat at the hands of Peru's Allianza Lima in their first pre-season match on Saturday (January 24).
The match, attended by around 30,000 fans, marked the opening of Inter Miami's 2026 preseason tour and highlighted the Peruvian side's clinical finishing against a disjointed Miami outfit, as Lima won 3-0.
Alianza Lima dominated early, controlling possession and exploiting counterattacks. The scoring opened in the 29th minute when Peru legend Paolo Guerrero headed in a rebound from a deflected shot off a corner kick, giving Alianza a 1-0 lead. Just six minutes later, Guerrero doubled the advantage in the 35th minute, calmly finishing a low cross from Eryc Castillo after a well-orchestrated move.
The second
half saw wholesale substitutions. Alianza refreshed their lineup at the break, bringing on Federico Girotti, Luis Ramos, and others. In the 72nd minute, Luis Ramos sealed the win, finishing unmarked from close range after a cutback from Girotti.
There was also an early injury to Inter Miami's Sergio Reguilón, who was substituted in the 15th minute for Facundo Mura after a hard tackle. Alianza's high press pinned Miami back, leading to multiple wasted opportunities for the hosts.
How did Lionel Messi perform?
Lionel Messi started in Inter Miami's 4-4-2 formation alongside Luis Suárez and Mateo Silvetti in attack, serving as the team's primary creative hub early on. He played 64 minutes before being substituted alongside Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul for Daniel Pinter, David Ruiz, and David Ayala.
Messi was involved in several build-ups, with teammates frequently seeking him out to initiate plays. His most notable moment came in the 17th minute, when he took a free kick from outside the box that whistled narrowly past the post. The Argentine is returning to action in the new MLS season and showed glimpses of his regal class.
He was instrumental in Miami's MLS Cup-winning last season, scoring 43 goals and 25 assists across all competitions.
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