Lionel Messi’s Newell’s Reunion Doesn’t Go As Planned! Inter Miami Falter 

In a 1-1 draw with Newell’s Old Boys, Shanyder Borgelin emerged as the surprising goal scorer while Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were kept silent.

For Messi, playing his boyhood club in a final tune-up before the Major League Soccer season, Thursday’s friendly will have felt like a major game. Though there is still much discussion about Messi retiring with Newell’s, on this particular day they were rivals as Inter Miami attempted to wrap up a challenging international preseason tour.

READ ALSO: Inter Miami Expand DRV PNK Stadium To Meet ‘Unprecedented Demand’ For Tickets To See Messi

Messi and veteran Barcelona runner Luis Suarez played into the second half before being replaced in the sixtyth. Borgelin, who ended up scoring the game’s first goal for Miami, entered the fray during that substitute time.

Borgelin, who signed a Homegrown deal with Miami in 2023 before being loaned out to New Mexico United FC midseason, scored just three minutes after coming on, making a big impression with a go-ahead goal.

Big ups Borgelin🗣️👊

Taylor serves one into Borgelin from the corner for the first of the night to give us the lead#IMCFvNOB | 1-0 pic.twitter.com/dyL0y7x4Hi

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— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) February 16, 2024

Unfortunately for Borgelin, he was robbed of a chance to be the hero as a bad giveaway led to a Franco Martin Diaz goal to lead to a 1-1 draw.

Overall, Messi and Suarez each scored just one goal in preseason, a slight concern with the MLS regular season looming.

How lofty an objective that was for Borgelin. Due to his loan status throughout the latter part of the previous season, Borgelin was unable to make an impression on Messi and Tata Martino upon their arrivals. In this encounter, the Haitian international left his mark and demonstrated that, should the situation call for it, he might be a useful attacking substitute.

Giveaways, giveaways, giveaways… they’ve plagued Inter Miami’s preseason. On Thursday, the culprit was Lawson Sunderland, whose poorly weighted backpass left the Inter Miami defense out to dry. As a fairly inexperienced player, things like that can happen to someone like Sunderland, but Miami have made those types of mistakes too many times this season.

Now, looking ahead to 2024, there are even more worries about the Herons defense.

Inter Miami’s global preseason has officially over, and the regular season is about to begin. Real Salt Lake will be the first team to visit, hoping to pull off an upset against a Miami team that is likely struggling.