Key Takeaways:
- Houston Dynamo clinches the US Open Cup final with a 2-1 victory against Inter Miami.
- Lionel Messi, Inter Miami’s star player, watches from the sidelines due to injury concerns.
- Houston Dynamo secured their lead within 33 minutes with goals from Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassey.
- Josef Martinez scores a consolation goal for Inter Miami.
Messi’s Absence Felt
The weight of the US Open Cup final defeat was evident on Lionel Messi‘s visage. Despite his eagerness, the Argentine maestro’s ongoing fitness challenges prevented him from participating in the faceoff against Houston Dynamo. Without him, Inter Miami couldn’t withstand the prowess of their MLS counterparts, resulting in a 2-1 setback.
Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup with the presence of Lionel Messi 🏆
Inter Miami lost the US Open Cup in the absence of Lionel Messi 😔
Since Messi arrival to Inter Miami, they have lost only 2 games out of 16 and those 2 games Messi didn’t play.
Talk about influence you talk… pic.twitter.com/kG1hbLmBEZ
— X Football (@X__Football) September 28, 2023
A Quick Setback and Response
The Dynamo squad, showcasing their intent, secured a commendable lead in just 33 minutes with strikes from Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassey. Inter Miami, under the guidance of Gerardo Martino, managed to respond with a lone goal from Josef Martinez.
Houston Dynamo take down Inter Miami and win the U.S. Open Cup 👏 pic.twitter.com/QPWgVCl7VT
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 28, 2023
Challenges for Messi and Inter Miami
The recent weeks have been strenuous for Messi, who has been grappling with muscle fatigue. His health concerns have caused him to miss three of the last four MLS matches leading up to the decisive game against Houston. Post-match, Miami’s coach, Martino, confirmed that fielding Messi wasn’t an option.
“It wasn’t prudent for him to play, not even to consider him for a few minutes,”
Martino shared, hinting at further evaluations in the upcoming games.
Martino also commented on his team’s fatigue, attributing the performance to the intense game schedule.
“At some point we were going to see the consequences of so many games,”
he remarked.
Inter Miami lost US Cup Final
Messi has now lost 13 FINALS in total.
Losing 13 finals is insane 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Fs9AmTR8J7— Chava🎈 (@Chava_snr) September 28, 2023
Reactions from Both Ends
While Inter Miami’s coach focused on his team’s exhaustion and injuries, Houston’s coach, Ben Olsen, commended his team’s stellar play. Celebrating their resilient defense and teamwork, he mentioned to CBS Sports,
“When things are clicking and we’re moving the ball, we’re dangerous… we saw it out.”
Conclusively, while it was a day of mixed emotions, the contest surely added another chapter to the evolving MLS narrative.