Inter Miami vs Al-Hilal: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami commenced their tour of Saudi Arabia with a defeat against Al-Hilal, losing 4-3 on Monday.
As part of their preseason preparations, the Major League Soccer team is scheduled to play two matches in the oil-rich kingdom. Despite Messi’s presence, the team couldn’t secure a victory in Riyadh.
Although Messi managed to score a penalty in the second half, it was Malcom’s decisive goal in the 88th minute that sealed the victory for Al-Hilal.
Messi’s potential move to Al-Hilal was widely speculated when he departed Paris Saint-Germain and emerged as the most coveted free agent in the world of sports last year.
However, he ultimately made the decision to join David Beckham’s Miami in the United States, where he swiftly guided the team to their inaugural triumph, clinching the Leagues Cup.
As Messi embarks on his first complete season with Miami, both he and the team have high hopes for further accomplishments. To prepare for the upcoming campaign, they have planned an extensive tour, encompassing visits to Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Japan.
The highly anticipated match on Thursday could potentially be a face-off between Al-Nasser, led by Cristiano Ronaldo. The game started with a goal from former Newcastle and Fulham striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic, putting Al-Hilal in the lead in the 10th minute.
Abdullah Al-Hamdan then doubled the lead just three minutes later. Despite a goal from Luis Suarez, one of Miami’s star signings, Al-Hilal maintained their two-goal advantage with a goal from Michael in the 44th minute.
However, the game took a turn when Messi scored in the 54th minute, followed by David Ruiz equalizing the score just a minute later. Just as it seemed like the match would end in a draw, Malcom emerged as the hero with a winning goal for Miami.
In the opening leg of the MLS side’s preseason Asian tour, Al Hilal, a Saudi Arabian club, emerged victorious with a 4-3 win over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
This week, Inter Miami is scheduled to play two matches in Saudi Arabia. The first game will be against Al Hilal, while the second match is set to take place on Thursday against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.
Unfortunately, Al Hilal’s Neymar will not be able to participate in the clash against his former Barcelona teammates Messi and Luis Suarez. He is currently recovering from a severe knee injury sustained in October.
Despite Neymar’s absence, Al Hilal continues to dominate the Saudi championship, leading with a comfortable seven-point advantage over Al Nassr after completing 19 rounds of matches.
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