El Salvador - Inter Miami summary: score, goals, highlights | MLS friendly
El Salvador vs Inter Miami: As it happened
Inter Miami's much-publicized preseason tour got off to a surprisingly low-key start, a scoreless draw against El Salvador on Friday evening.
Tata Martino caused a stir by starting all four ex-Barcelona players, reuniting Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez in a two-man attack. There were some glimpses of quality in the first half, most notably a sharp interchange between Messi and Sergio Busquets that fashioned the best chance of the game, but El Salvador stood firm.
In fact, the hosts probably had the better of the chances in the first half. They looked to hit Miami on the counter-attack and found joy with a more direct approach.
Messi, Suárez, Busquets and Jordi Alba were all withdrawn at the break, drawing a chorus of boos from the home crowd.
The game got a little heated in the second half as Gregore and Darwin Cerén were booked after an altercation in the midfield. Cerén was later involved in the only moment of real controversy, a mistimed challenge that forced Facundo Farias from the field on a stretcher. Inter Miami, having already used all their substitutions, played the final 15 minutes with ten men but the score remained goalless.
It was not the all-action romp that those at Estadio Cuscatlan were hoping for, but Inter Miami's 2024 has officially begun.
Inter Miami held to a draw in El Salvador
Nothing between the two teams in a cagey affair as Estadio Cuscatlan. Not the most thrilling of games to kick-start Inter Miami's all-action 2024, but even the brightest lights need a little time to warm up.
Full time
Inter Miami's first preseason friendly comes to a close with the score 0-0. A good run-out for Miami but they will need to show serious improvement by the time MLS restarts next month.
It's a good deliver from El Salvador and a good run from Steven Vasquez to connect, but his header is well off-target.
Goal kick to Inter Miami. That, could well be that.
Another free kick given away by Inter Miami, this time David Ruiz is the guilty party.
One last chance for El Salvador to deliver into the box from the right...
El Salvador are pushing forward for a late winner but there's no great attacking intent from either team. The hosts look content to end with a draw and Inter Miami, down to ten men for the last 15 minutes, probably feel the same.
There will be a minimum of three minutes of added time in San Salvador.
Gregore gives away a free kick on the halfway line for a cynical, momentum-breaking foul. The Inter Miami midfielder is not a flashy performer but he can fulfill an important role in this team.
Incidentally, the home crowd seems to have shifted allegiances in the second half.
In the first 45 minutes they were giving Lionel Messi and, by extension, Inter Miami their support. But since Messi's substitution it looks like they are rooting for El Salvador.
Nearly a chance for Inter Miami as Campana holds up a long ball forward and nudges the ball towards David Ruiz. The Miami youngster tries to reach the loose ball but he is muscled out by El Salvador defenders.
El Salvador win a free kick on the right. The ball is whipped in with pace and Inter Miami can only clear the ball for a corner.
Vasquez connects again but his header is off-target. Goal kick to Inter Miami.
So close for El Salvador!
Steven Vasquez does well to ghost in behind the Miami defence and connect with a lofted ball over the top. He flicks the ball goalwards but his headed effort strikes the crossbar.
Inter Miami could be behind her.
It's not exactly clear what the substitution rules are for this friendly, but Inter Miami have not brought on a replacement for Facundo Farias since he left the field.
As it stands, Inter Miami are down to ten men.
Good play from Moreno on the left, chasing down a long ball and retaining the ball for El Salvador. He looks lively, but fires well over from distance.
El Salvador enjoy a foray forward and a deep cross from the left looks to find Javier Ferman on the left of the box. The crowd stirs as it looks, for a second, like he might connect with the cross, but it just evades him.
Leo Campana is not often noted for his pace, but as a replacement for Luis Suarez he has looked positively speedy by comparison. His willingness to work across the frontline has given the El Salvador defenders something extra to think about, although he does lack the quality of the man who's taken his No. 9 jersey.
Good run from David Ruiz, darting through the El Salvador midfield. He makes it into the box but the ball runs away from him at the crucial moment.
Robert Taylor finds space on the right and darts inside, playing a sharp one-two with Leo Campana in the El Salvador box. He looks to latch on the the return pass but can't quite get his shot away.
More resolute defending from the hosts.
Facundo Farias (Inter Miami)
This does not look good for Facundo Farias. The Miami forward received treatment on his knee on the field and is now being stretchered off.
You hope it's just a precaution, but he holds his head in his hands as he is carried off.
Another foul from Ceren, this time on Farias. He stays down to receive treatment on the field, it seems to be a knock on his thigh.
Gregore, who nearly came to blows with Ceren just minutes ago, is not happy.
That´s eight substitutions in total for Inter Miami, who look to have one of the deepest rosters in MLS this season.That should be a strength but Tata Martino will need every drop of his experience to fashion this squad into a cohesive, winning team.
So far, they've looked a little disjointed so far.
And one more! Tomas Aviles comes off, Serhiy Krystov comes on.
Another batch of Miami substitutions with 25 minutes remaining.
Gressel, Yedlin Cremaschi are replaced by Taylor, Sailor and Sunderland.
The tensions have calmed but that was not a good challenge from Ceren in the midfield for El Salvador.
Brawl!
Late challenge on Gregore in the middle of the field and the Inter Miami midfielder is not happy with that. he kicks out in response and the players rush in to help their teammate.
Referee calms things down with two quick yellow cards.
Clever play from Farias as he slips a pass through to Allen with the outside of his left foot. The Miami full-back latches onto the ball and slides it across the face of goal, but there's no one there to convert for Inter Miami.
Good spell of play from the visitors.
Inter Miami are starting to regain control of the game now after a little lapse after half time. Campana's presence up front is giving them a more mobile focal point that Suarez could offer in the first 45.
Leo Campana takes the free kick. His left-footed effort whips around the wall but is headed away by an El Salvador defender.
Still 0-0 as we approach the hour-mark.
Good work from Campana, running the channels and collecting the ball near the right touchline. He retains possession for his team and Farias wins a free kick on the right corner of the penalty box.
Gressel gets another whack on the ankle, his second of the game, after a late challenge from Flores. he'll be fine to carry on, but he's hobbling a bit for now.
Clever turn from David Ruiz in the midfield to turn away from danger and slip the ball out to Gressel on the right. Inter Miami push forward down the right but a loose pass sees the ball trickle out for a goal kick.
El Salvador are enjoying a little more of the ball in the second half, aided by a bit of uncertainty in the Miami midfield. The absence of the famous four will take some getting used to for Gregore and Cremaschi in the middle.
Confirmation of those halftime substitutions
Tata Martino opted to change all four of his big-name players at the break. Inter Miami have a busy preseason schedule coming up and will need to be sure to rotate his squad.
Aviles gets his head on the first ball and CJ dos Santos comes out to punch the second cross away. The loose ball is then lashed harmlessly over the crossbar.
El Salvador win a free kick on the right flank as Nelson Bonilla is felled by Tomas Aviles. Good opportunity for the hosts to deliver into the box now.
Leonardo Campana is leading the line for Inter Miami, with Farias and Gressel looking to play as more traditional wingers either side.
And we're back for the second half in El Salvador. Plenty of changes for Inter Miami, a chance for other players to impress.
It's a quadruple substitution for Inter Miami as all four ex-Barcelona players are withdrawn, to a disappointed response form the home crowd.
Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Jordi Alba are replaced by Campana, Farias, Mcvey and Ruiz.
The players are emerging for the tunnel for the second half at Estadio Cuscatlan, San Salvador. Inter Miami are preparing a number of substitutions before we get started.
It looks like Facundo Farias and Leonardo Campana are among those entering the fray.
WATCH: Lionel Messi stings keeper's palms
This was the closest Inter Miami came in the first half. The four ex-Barça stars have looked a little slow to get up to speed in the opening 45 minutes but they combined well for this Lionel Messi chance.
Top save from Martinez, who did well in goal for El Salvador.
A scoreless, incident-free first half in El Salvador to begin Inter Miami's 2024.
Miami dominated possession but it was the hosts who manufactured the better chances in the opening 30 minutes. They looked to play direct, hitting Miami on transitions, and got some joy out of a new-look defensive unit.
Lionel Messi grew into the game as the half developed and he came the closest to breaking the deadline for the visitors after exchanging a sharp one-two with Sergio Busquets. There were appeals for an Inter Miami penalty with five minutes of the first half remaining but they were, quite reasonably, waved away by the referee.
Still goalless at the break. How long will Martino leave it before making changes?
Half time!
Messi's free kick is poorly hit and easily blocked by El Salvador.
Half time whistle, that's that for the opening 45 minutes in San Salvador.
Lionel Messi is felled on the edge of the box. Free kick to Inter Miami, around 25 yards from goal.
No prizes for guessing who will take this...
There will be one minute of added time at the end of the first half.
There's a lull in the stadium as Busquets stands on the ball, 35 yards from the El Salvador goal, before playing a quick pass to Messi and launching a new attack. Messi looks to play a one-two with Cremaschi on the edge of the box but the return pass is too heavy.
Luis Suarez has been very quiet so far, but his presence up front does seem to have given Messi greater freedom to drop deep and connect with the midfield. At time the Inter Miami captain is playing as a deep midfielder, picking the ball up from Busquets and looking to launch attacks from deep.
Jordi Alba should score!
The Miami full back is played through on goal on the left for a one-on-one chance, but Martinez stands up well to block the effort.
Score still 0-0 with five minutes of the first half to go.
With a little over five minutes to go until the break, El Salvador have had the better of the chances in the first half.
Allen zips a long pass out to Gressel on the right wing but the new signing can't bring the ball down.
El Salvador go straight back on the counter-attack and Ferman gets in behind once again. Aviles gets back to clear the danger but Miami look vulnerable from that long ball.
First big chance for Inter Miami!
The visitors force their way through the el Salvador defence with a sharp turn of pace from Messi. The Miami captain gets in on goal but his first effort is saved and he can't connect cleanly on the rebound. El Salvador survive.
It was brilliant play from Busquets to create the chance.
Another opening for El Salvador!
It's another long ball that falls to Tamacas this time, but the wing-back can't get any power on his volleyed effort. Easy save for CJ dos Santos, but it's not brilliant from Miami.
Luis Suarez waves his hands as a long ball from the Miami defence bounces harmlessly through to Martinez in goal. Inter Miami are struggling to get in behind the hosts.
Big appeals for an Inter Miami penalty!
Luis Suarez does brilliantly to control a high ball on the edge of the box and charges towards goal. He fires a pass across goal and a Miami body goes to ground in the area.
Difficult to see who the player was, but it didn't look like a very convincing claim. Referee waves away the appeals. Play on.
Clever play from Messi to stab the ball out to Gressel on the right flank. The ball is whipped in and headed out for a corner.
Inter Miami have not looked particularly convincing in defence so far. Allen and Aviles are young but they have given chances to the hosts from long balls forward.
El Salvador come close!
They're had very little of the ball but the hosts nearly take the lead. A long ball is pumped forwards and it falls to Ceren on the edge of the box, but the El Salvador forward drags his short just wide.
Jordi Alba chances after an overly-ambitious through ball from Lionel Messi and gives a little kick to the El Salvador defender as the ball trickles out of play. The referee has a quick word with the Miami full back, but no card is given.
El Salvador get the ball clear and manage to ease the pressure.
The hosts have had little of the ball in the opening stages but they have prevented any real chances for Inter Miami, keeping the more illustrious visitors out of their penalty area for the most part.
Luis Suarez wins a corner kick for his team. The kick is played short and then whipped in towards the back post, only to be headed away by a defender.
Yedlin trots across to take a long throw on the right flank.
Messi looks to latch onto a long ball over the top but is beaten to the ball by Martinez. The El Salvador goalkeeper gives Messi a little high-five as he jogs back to his position, drawing huge cheers from the crowd.
Who isn't a Messi fan?
Noah Allen is finding lots of space on the left of the defence but hasn't managed to find Jordi Alba in any dangerous positions so far.
He is still a bit raw defensively, but Tomas Aviles' on-ball qualities are immediately apparent for Inter Miami. Last season the recently-departed Kamal Miller took on much of the ball-playing responsibilities out from the back but the youngster could be the one to step into his boots in 2024.
Another warning for the Miami defence as Bonilla turns sharply for El Salvador on the edge of the box and fires just wide.
The hosts come forward again just moments later, this time it's Ceren who lets fly from range.
El Salvador looking to unsettled Inter Miami after a fairly comfortable start.
Messi makes a driving run through the middle of the field and slips the ball through to Gressel on the right. The new signing gets to the byline and tries to pull it back for Messi but El Salvador get a defensive boot in the way.
That link-up between Messi and Gressel will be interesting to see develop as the Argentine drifts out to the right.
Good play from El Salvador as the ball is slipped through to Fermin, racing in behind the Miami backline. For a second their is panic but the visitors are saved by the official's flag.
A lack of organisation at the back for Miami, there.
Nearly an opening for Messi after playing a one-two with Suarez on the edge of the box. The return pass is a little too long and it bounces through to El Salvador goalkeeper Martinez.
Messi is starting off with a very free role.
Brilliant footwork from Messi in the El Salvador box, before sweeping a ball out to Gregore on the right flank. The Miami midfielder takes a touch and rifles a shot goalwards. It's easily blocked but Miami regain possession.
In midfield is looks like Busquets is playing as a single pivot, with the more energetic Gregore and Cremaschi slightly further upfield.
Dogged play from Messi on the halfway line as he holds off three El Salvador midfielders. he eventually loses the ball but it's called back for a free kick to Miami.
First cries of 'Olé' from the crowd.
Corner kick for El Salvador after a cross is deflected behind. They play the ball short and Flores is forced to circulate the ball back to the defence.
Messi and Suarez are playing as a pair, but with the Argentine dropping deeping to help link the play. It will be interesting to see if the former Barcelona duo can reignite their old partnership.
Clear to see from the off that Inter Miami are starting off in the 5-3-2 used by Tata Martino towards the end of 2023. New signing Julian Gressel starts at right wing-back, with DeAndre Yedlin shuffling into a more central position in the backline.
And we're off!
Inter Miami get their 2024 campaign underway...
There's a festive atmosphere tonight but there is also serious business to take care of. With such high expectations on this Inter Miami team they must make a fast start. Luis Suarez comes straight into the starting XI to join his old pal Lionel Messi.
We're nearly ready for kick-off...
Kick off is fast approaching now, both teams out on the field in San Salvador.
Inter Miami are away from home but pink and black shirts seem to make up the majority of the stands at Estadio Cuscatlan.
'Messi 10' dominates in El Salvador
Throughout 2023 there were reports of stores running out of the Lionel Messi jerseys, one of the most in-demand sports kits in the world. And it's clear to see why.
On tonight's evidence, it seems that the global supply of 'Messi 10' jerseys has been snapped up by soccer fans in El Salvador. Estadio Cuscatlan is awash with the iconic jersey ahead of tonight's friendly clash.
Inter Miami take to the stage at Estadio Cuscatlan
The lights are on and all eyes are on Lionel Messi's Inter Miami for their preseason opener in El Salvador. Some have, with some justification, criticized Miami's preseason exploits as a cynical commercial ploy, but tonight's game has the feel of a big moment for the team and for MLS more generally.
Messi and co. had a massive impact on the team's fortunes after their mid-season arrival in 2023, but the real test of there influence will come this year. With a full preseason to get their house in order, Miami need to start fast when the league begins next month. That journey, starts today.
Lionel Messi, always the main attraction
Everyone's desperate to see Lionel Messi, including El Salvador's Presidential Press Secretary. The official government account has tweeted out this footage of the "campeon del mundo" arriving at Estadio Cuscatlan for the friendly game.
Inter Miami's much-discussed preseason tour is certainly capturing the attention.
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We're around 40 minutes away from kick-off now and the atmosphere is really building. There's nothing on the line competitively this evening, but there is a real sense of history as Inter Miami embark on their first full season with Lionel Messi and co.
There are few sports tickets anywhere in the world that are more coveted than an Inter Miami game at the moment. As Diego Gorostieta shows here, the locals in El Salvador are eager to get a glimpse of the MLS tourists.
And they're out!
Wasting little time, Inter Miami are out on the field to inspect conditions at Estadio Cuscatlan.
Tata martino has named a full-strength side for this preseason friendly, reuniting Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for the first time since they played together at Barcelona. Three and a half years on, will that famed connection still be there?
Messi arrives at Estadio Cuscatlan
Quite the reception for the recently-crowned FIFA The Best Male Footballer. Huge crowds have gathered to see Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates stroll in, and there seems to be plenty of pink-shirted supporters in attendance.
One important omission for the Herons tonight: goalkeeper Drake Callender is unavailable as he's away on international duty.
USMNT have selected a squad of young MLS-based players for a training camp and international friendly against Slovenia. The camp is designed to give head coach Berhalter a chance to see some potential additions to the senior squad.
Messi and Suarez start together for Inter Miami!
Well, would you look at that. Any suggestions that Tata Martino might look to ease the Herons into preseason has been dispelled tonight as the Inter Miami head coach names a full-strength squad.
It looks like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will start as a duo, with Busquets, Gregore and Cremaschi playing as a central three.
ICYMI: Inter Miami arrive in San Salvador
Here are the astonishing scenes from San Salvador, El Salvador last night as the Inter Miami team bus arrived at the hotel. This jam-packed preseason schedule is designed to help amplify the club's brand overseas and capitalize on Messi's presence.
It certainly seems to be having quite an effect.
Inter Miami arrive at Estadio Cuscatlan
They're here! A swarm of pink has entered Estatdio Cuscatlan, which must mean that the Herons are in attendance. There's big smiles, cheery waves and maté all round for Inter Miami.
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Tonight, for the first time in three and a half years, Lionel Messi will line up alongside Luis Suarez.
The South American duo made history at Barcelona and they occupy the first and third spots in the club's all-time scoring charts. No prizes for guessing who bagged top spot...
With Messi and Suarez set to reunite for Inter Miami, here's a look back at their last appareance together.
Hello and welcome to AS USA, where we will be bringing you live coverage of the opening fixture of 2024 for Inter Miami.
The Herons head to San Salvador to take on the El Salvador national team with a team strengthened over the off-season. Not content with a trio of ex-Barcelona stars, Miami have thrown Luis Suarez into the mix to join his old pal Lionel Messi in the frontline.
Julian Gressel has arrived from MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew and there is enormous anticipation for Inter Miami this year.
I'm US soccer correspondent Will Gittins, let's see if Inter Miami can get 2024 off to a winning start...