Inter Miami is nothing without Messi, and this chaotic game proved it | OneFootball

Inter Miami’s season opener had it all, spectacular goals, a red card, a comeback, tension, and, of course, Lionel Messi making the difference when least expected. The 2-2 draw against New York City FC at Chase Stadium wasn’t the ideal result, but it served as a warning: despite all the changes, this team still has the fight in them.

A perfect start, but then it fell apart

The game had not been underway very long when Messi already made himself heard. Playing Tomás Avilés through in the box in a style reminiscent of his days at Barcelona, he teed him up for an easy finish at point-blank range. A defender scores a goal? Naturally. But with precision work, fitting the bill of a No. 10 performing on a plane that everyone else operates on differently.

And then it all unraveled. At 23 minutes, Avilés, having just celebrated the team's first goal of the season, was sent off in a turn of events that would change the game. One player down, Inter Miami lost the match. A minute later, Mitja Ilenic capitalized and equalized for NYCFC.

What was a comfortable lead soon became another tale.

A familiar weakness spells NYCFC's comeback

With the numerical advantage, NYCFC asserted their dominance. And it was only a matter of time before Alonso Martínez scored in the 55th minute, clinching the comeback. A defensive error and a team out of possession once again.

The season has begun, but the same old issue continues to haunt Inter Miami, defensive inconsistency. With reinforcements and a new coach, the team still makes the same mistakes as last season. They know how to attack, they know how to dominate possession, but to hold on to a lead, it all comes apart.

Messi still dictates

With the clock ticking away, NYCFC seemed to be heading off with all three points, and Inter Miami had no ideas left. But Messi does not just play the game, he dictates its pace.

At the 90th minute, he was passed the ball, looked up, and spotted Telasco Segovia in the right spot. The kid Venezuelan, who was playing his first MLS match, knew how to do it. With a beautiful chip over the goalkeeper, he leveled the match.

It was Segovia's inaugural Inter Miami strike, and still more special, it was added to by Messi. This pass saw the Argentine star become the fastest player ever in MLS to register 40 contributions towards a goal (21 goals, 19 assists) from just 26 matches.

Mascherano points to the battling nature of the team

Javier Mascherano had his first game as a coach in an MLS match that was full of drama. There was a red card, a turnaround, and a late-game equalizer. Instead of lamenting the errors committed by the team, he talked about their character.

"We have to keep overcoming the obstacles we face along the way, but I'm someone who sees the positives. And today, other than the result, I take away something important, the team has soul, the team has life, and we're going to fight."

Mascherano knows changes are needed, but the way his team fought until the last minute spoke volumes about their fighting spirit.

The Messi factor and Miami's dependence on him

If there is one thing clear, it is that Inter Miami still overly relies on Messi. He creates, he decides, he keeps the team going when everything seems hopeless. This may, however, be a double-edged sword.

The Argentine himself is already 37 years old and can't single-handedly take the team every game. Alba, Busquets, and Suárez are also no longer at their prime. The question is, who else would step up when Messi is nowhere to be found, or when other teams learn how to stop him?

Segovia had that potential, but he still doesn't have that much time yet. Inter Miami needs more pieces to not become predictable.