Inter Miami’s 3-2 win over CF Montreal on Saturday night was a now typical Inter Miami performance: it was another comeback win. After conceding the first two goals of the match, Miami once again battled back to claim victory in Messi’s first match on Canadian soil. It was Miami’s fifth consecutive win after conceding first, a trend that has defined the first part of the team’s 2024 season. It’s also Miami’s first time winning five consecutive MLS games in club history.
New MLS rules unnerve Messi, Martino and Suárez
In April, MLS implemented a series of new in-game rules that are beginning to make headlines. An in-stadium VAR announcement from seasoned referee Ismail Elfath went viral last week. In Montreal, what MLS has called the Off-Field Treatment Rule and Timed Substitution Rule rankled the league’s premier club.
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After Messi took a studs-up tackle from Montreal center back George Campbell late in the first half, the Argentine was treated on the field by Miami’s medical staff. Campbell did not receive a yellow card for the challenge and Messi eventually walked off the field, but was then visibly agitated when the fourth official kept him on the sideline for two minutes. According to MLS, the new Off-Field Treatment Rule requires that players “remain off the field for a minimum of two minutes for further assessment and treatment.”
But Messi was itching to get back on the field. When Inter Miami earned a free kick just outside the Montreal penalty area (an ideal spot for a left-footed player), Messi turned toward a sideline camera, shook his head and seemed to say, “If they make rules like these…we are doing badly.” Matías Rojas stepped up for Messi and calmly placed the free kick in the upper right corner of the Montreal net.
Messi: “With this type of rule…..we are doing badly.” 🗣️
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) May 12, 2024
Later, Suárez was substituted in the 90th minute, but he did not exit the pitch in less than 10 seconds. The Timed Substitution Rule stipulates the following: “Failure to exit from any point on the field within the 10 seconds will cause the incoming player to wait for a 60-second holding period, before entering the game at the next stoppage. During the holding period and prior to the substitute entering, the team will play down a player. Exceptions to the rule include injury and goalkeeper substitutions.”
After the match, Martino told reporters his thoughts on the rule changes.
“Leo was fouled and (Campbell) should’ve received a yellow card, which would have negated the need for Leo to leave for two minutes,” said Martino. “To me, the team that suffered the infraction was punished. Evidently with these new rules there will be situations that need to be analyzed. It was a clear yellow-card infraction and then we lost Leo for two minutes.”
Suárez had to be held back by Martino from confronting the fourth official, but Martino called it a misunderstanding between his staff and that official. Although Martino thought that Suárez had one minute to leave the pitch rather than 10 seconds.
Rojas continues to shine
The Paraguayan international’s impressive free kick while Messi watched from the touchline will get plenty of attention.
BANGERS ONLY 🤯 An absolute stunner from Matias Rojas 🇵🇾 💥 pic.twitter.com/Byn6C8Sj2o
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 12, 2024
His assist to Cremaschi for Inter Miami’s winner, though, was just as important.
The accuracy from Matías Rojas to Benja who gives us the lead 🎯🤩 pic.twitter.com/ToQoBDGM97
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 12, 2024
With Montreal’s midfield and backline focused on Messi, Rojas became Inter Miami’s playmaker. Rojas and Messi are attracting a lot of attention from the opposition, which in this case, allowed Cremaschi to make an unmarked run through the middle and finish.
Rojas is a versatile midfielder who excels in the final third. He’s been a needed addition for Martino, a manager who is very well versed in the strengths of Paraguayan players. From 2002 to 2006, Martino won four first division titles with two or Paraguay’s biggest clubs, Libertad and Cerro Porteño. He was instrumental in Paraguayan Miguel Almirón’s decision to sign with Atlanta United in 2016. Two years later, Almirón would become the most expensive sale in league history.
During his introductory press conference two weeks ago, Rojas told reporters in Fort Lauderdale that he had received interest from Boca Juniors. “It’s an extraordinary club but I was already planning my career somewhere else,” explained Rojas.
He didn’t mention Martino, but it’s safe to assume that a phone call from Martino still carries a lot of weight in South America, particularly in Paraguay.
Martino takes the blame for slow start
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino previously addressed his side’s propensity to start slow. It’s been discussed and repeated during team meetings, Martino said last week, but the solution isn’t as tangible.
“It cannot always be analyzed from the same angle. Sometimes the other team makes plays,” Martino said after the match. “Obviously it’s preferred that we score first and then manage the game from there. Tonight’s circumstances were different from the previous instances.”
Martino, however, placed the blame for Saturday’s early two-goal deficit on himself. Inter Miami started in a 5-3-2, which Martino said was to push the team’s lines forward and press Montreal higher up the field. Instead, Montreal found space on the wings and counter-attacked Inter Miami with ease. After Montreal’s second goal, Martino switched Inter Miami’s formation to a 4-4-2. This season, Inter Miami has been most effective in a back-four.
“I shouldn’t modify the way the team plays,” said Martino. “We feel comfortable playing one specific way. I modified the team tonight to match what I felt were Montreal’s strengths. When we went back to the 4-4-2, that was us.”
Luckily for Martino, Inter Miami is led by Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan scored his 11th goal in first-half added time, which leveled the score at 2-2 before the break. Inter Miami academy product Benjamin Cremaschi scored what would be the winner in the 59th minute. Messi, though, was kept off the score sheet after his record-breaking performance last weekend versus the New York Red Bulls, snapping his seven-match MLS scoring streak.
The Argentina captain couldn’t replicate five assists and one goal against Montreal, but the 36-year-old was active in the attack throughout the match, despite the injury scare.
Inter Miami remains atop the Eastern Conference standings on 27 points from 13 games. They’ve scored 35 goals and conceded 20.
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
