Lionel Messi in action© AFP
Lionel Messi’s growing frustration and Inter Miami’s miserable run of form continued with a 3-0 loss at home to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday. The Florida derby defeat leaves Miami with just one win from their last seven games in all competitions and they slip to sixth in the Eastern Conference with Orlando leapfrogging them. Orlando grabbed the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal of absurd simplicity – goalkeeper Pedro Gallese launched the ball down the middle of the field and Luis Muriel ran clear and slotted past Oscar Ustari.
The visitors were getting plenty of joy from going direct against a Miami back-line which was all at sea and Argentine Marti Ojeda should have done better when he found himself clear on goal but blasted over the bar.
Miami’s veteran keeper Ustari then made a fine double save to deny Alexander Freeman and an Ojeda follow up shot but then the 38-year-old found himself to blame for Orlando’s second goal.
The ball fell to Marco Pasilic on the edge of the box and his low shot went through the hands and legs of Ustari.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano then threw on attacking players in a bid to retrieve something from the game but it was largely in vain.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time Duncan McGuire broke down the left and his low cross was slotted home by Icelandic forward Dagur Thorhallsson to wrap-up an impressive performance from the visitors.
Miami have conceded 20 goals and scored 11 in their last seven games with their only victory coming against the New York Red Bulls on May 3.
Messi played the full game and had just two shots on target.
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