FC Dallas 1-0 Inter Miami CF (Jan 22, 2024) Game Analysis

FC Dallas held Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF scoreless in a 1-0 exhibition win at the Cotton Bowl on Monday night.

It was the second game without a goal at the start of Miami’s extensive preseason world tour, following a 0-0 draw with El Salvador on Friday, and the second time that Messi started alongside former Barcelona teammate and new arrival to MLS Luis Suárez.

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Jesús Ferreira scored the only goal of the game — beating Drake Callender at his far post minutes into the match — but was subbed off shortly before half-time after going down with an apparent injury.

Messi’s first two shots were saved by Dallas keeper Michael Collodi, who dove to his left to deflect the World Cup winner’s second shot in the 12th minute. Messi’s third shot was wide left in the 27th minute from a pass delivered by Suarez.

Suarez had two shots on goal in the first half, the first saved by Collodi. The second sailed wide right in the 44th minute.

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Messi and Suarez looked out of sync with one another as the second half resumed and failed to rekindle any of their magic from the Barca days, with Miami manager Gerardo Martino subbing both players off just past the hour mark of the game.

FC Dallas, which played at the Cotton Bowl until 2009, held off a flurry of shots early in the second half shots on goal behind substitute keeper Antonio Carrera.

“To get to play against Lionel Messi is an unbelievable opportunity,” FC Dallas president Dan Hunt said prior to the match. “For most people, it’s a never. Most markets never get to bring him … you have the greatest probably of all time, with maybe the exception of Pele, and you get to have him twice in your market — once we hosted at our home, and then we get to share with a different part of the community in Dallas.”

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had scored scored twice in Inter Miami’s comeback win over FC Dallas on Aug. 6 at Toyota Stadium in their epic Leagues Cup showdown. Miami went on to win the game in a shootout en route to the Leagues Cup title.

Next up for Messi and Miami is a pair of matches in Saudi Arabia, including one against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, before heading to Japan for two matches and then returning home for a friendly against the Argentine’s youth club Newell’s Old Boys.

Miami kicks off its MLS campaign at against Real Salt Lake on Feb. 21, at DRV Pink Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.