Fort Lauderdale.- Playing more than 65 minutes with 10 players, the Inter Miami He tied this Saturday 2-2 against New York City in his debut in the Mls Thanks to an agonizing goal by Venezuelan Tlasco Segovia to pass from Lionel Messi.
The Argentine star also provided the attendance of the first goal, the work of the young defender Tomás Avilés in minute 5.
Avilés himself was expelled in the 23rd minute, which facilitated the comeback of the New York City with targets of the Slovenian Mitja Ilenic (26 ‘) and the Costa Rican Alonso Martínez (55’), the latter after a serious error of Jordi Alba.
Encouraged by its fans in Fort Lauderdale (outskirts of Miami), the Inter rescued a point thanks to the providential goal of the debutant Segovia in the 90+10 minute.
“Everything came against us and the team had two options: throwing the game or fighting until the end. The players decided to fight it and had their prize,” said Argentine Javier Mascherano, who also debuted as a coach at the MLS.
“We are screwed because we wanted to win the first game at home, but this will surely strengthen us,” he predicted.
In a rugged first half, Inter had to replace physical discomfort to the American attacker Fafa Picault and the Argentine side Marcelo Weigandt.
Inter, Mascherano recalled, had requested to postpone this match after his debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup was delayed from Tuesday to Wednesday by a snowstorm in Kansas City.
Miami ended up winning this duel, which was played under temperatures below -15º C, with a solitary goal from Messi in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
“We asked to play on Sunday and they did not accept it, so you run these irrigation,” said the ‘Jefecito’ about the injuries of his players. “Players are not robots, they are human beings and you have to understand that without players football does not exist.”
Yellow for protesting for Messi
With this draw, the Inter started a season in which it aspires to conquer its first MLS title, after last year dominated the regular phase, but crashed at the first in the playoffs.
With celebrities such as actress Eva Longoria and exhaust out Serena Williams, the Chase Stadium dressed up to open a year in which Inter also participates in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The premiere was put in the face of Florida’s squad with the early Diana of the ‘Toto’ Avilés after a spectacular combination between Jordi Alba and Messi, who gave the death pass to the Argentine defender.
Less than 20 minutes later, the game turned with Avilés again as the protagonist. The central saw the direct red card for grabbing Martínez when he was planted alone before goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.
That same fault became the goal of the draw with a pass from the Argentine Maximiliano Moralez to the Slovenian Mitja Ilenic to shoot Ustari.
The Inter shot again in the foot at the beginning in the second half, when Jordi Alba was wrong in a ball delivery that ended at Martínez’s feet, which he defined perfectly to score the 2-1.
Mascherano then withdrew the veteran Luis Suarez by Fablasco Segovia, a 21 -year -old tip landed this campaign from the Pío Portuguese house.
The premises did not give up and took advantage of the 11 minutes of added play granted by the referee.
When the clock was exhausted, Messi took a career for the right wing and leaked a millimeter passed to Segovia, who tied the game picing the ball with cold blood over the goalkeeper.
Segovia “is a player with a huge quality and potential. When he entered he made a great game,” said Mascherano.
With the conclusion, Messi saw an unusual yellow card for repeated protests to the referee.
