Messi, Suarez sit out game in Hong Kong, Inter Miami wins 4-1 for first preseason victory

 

A crowd of 40,000 fans showed up at Hong Kong Stadium to see Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates in an open training session Saturday, but he was not on the roster for Sunday’s preseason game against a Hong Kong all-star team. Inter Miami CF

Messi Mania hit Hong Kong this weekend as Argentine star Lionel Messi’s globetrotting Inter Miami team got its first preseason victory, 4-1 against Hong Kong XI early Sunday morning.

But the win came without Messi, who was kept out of the game due to inflammation of the adductor hip muscles as 40,000 fans at Hong Kong Stadium chanted his name, urging him to play. The stadium was packed with Messi No. 10 jerseys.

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said Messi had an MRI last week in Saudi Arabia, was listed as day to day, did some training Saturday, but the medical staff said it would be risky for him to play the game. The decision was made Sunday morning to keep him out. Suarez, who has been battling knee issues the past few years, woke up with knee inflammation after the second game in Saudi Arabia and required rest, the coach explained.

Martino said the priority is for them to be healthy for the MLS season opener Feb. 21 against Real Salt Lake.

We understand the fans’ disappointment in the absence of Messi and Suarez, and we apologize for that, but this was a decision made with our medical staff,” Martino said in his post-game comments. “If there was a way they could have played even a little while we would have done it, but there was too much risk involved.”

Inter Miami got goals from Robert Taylor, Lawson Sunderland, Leo Campana and Ryan Sailor.

Taylor scored just before halftime on a curling shot and Hong Kong XI tied two minutes later on a goal from Henri Anier. Miami retook the lead in the 49th minute when midfielder Lawson Sunderland, making his first start, slotted home a close-range shot with an assist from Ryan Sailor, who had come in as a sub to replace injured Sergiy Kryvtsov. Campana started the passing sequence.

Campana made it 3-1 in the 55th minute with an assist from Sunderland. It was his first goal of the preseason. Sailor added another in the 85th minute on a leaping header.

Asked to assess his team’s performance Sunday, Martino said “Overall it was a good performance. We decided to switch formations from five in back to a 4-3-3, and it was clear the players seemed much more comfortable on the field.”