SHOCKING! Messi sidelined as Inter Miami battles New York Red Bulls – Full game coverage here!
InterMiami I had a difficult day at the office without Lionel Messiwho is still out due to a hamstring injury.
Luis Morgan scored a hat-trick with an assist new york red bulls defeated Inter Miami, 4-0in a cold, wet game Saturday afternoon at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
The defeat is the second for Inter Miami 2024 MLS Regular Seasonboth without Messi in action.
Messi is tentatively expected to return for Inter Miami's two matches against LIGA MX club Monterrey in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The first leg will be on April 3 and the second on April 10.
Former Inter Miami star Morgan scored in the third, 51st and 70th minutes to complete his three-goal game, while assisting Wikelman Carmona's goal in the 66th minute for the Red Bulls.
Inter Miami almost scored in the 77th minute, but VAR disallowed Noah Allen's goal. Otherwise it was a disappointing effort with former Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets leading the way without Messi.
The loss reduced Inter Miami's league-high goal differential from plus-8 to plus-4, as both teams played without six players playing for their respective national teams during a FIFA international window this week.
Inter Miami came into the game tied with the MLS Cup champions Columbus crew leads the Eastern Conference with 10 points, but could fall in the group after the rest of the league plays Matchday 6 on Saturday night.
Inter Miami was without outstanding goalkeeper Drake Callender (United States); the midfielders Diego Gómez (Paraguay), Federico Redondo (Argentina U-23), David Ruiz (Honduras); forward Shanyder Borgelin (Haiti); and defender Israel Boatwright (Dominican Republic U-23). Nico Freire (hamstring) also did not play.
New York Red Bulls shined without goalkeeper Carlos Coronel (Paraguay), forward Cory Burke (Jamaica), midfielders Emil Forsberg (Sweden) and Daniel Edelman (USA U-23), and defenders John Tolkin (USA). USA U-23) and Noah Eile (Sweden U-21).
