Messi announces Inter Miami’s bigger goal after defeating LAFC: “Try and win the league”

“Certainly they’re not unbeatable,” said Cherundolo. “I think we saw that tonight and other nights as well. But I think it’s very clear that they’re extremely effective in the offensive end. What that means for opponents is that you have to be the same, because the few chance they do get, they obviously succeed in those. And if you’re going to play them and beat them, you have to finish yours.”

Beating Cherundolo’s Black & Gold side sticks out from IMCF’s previous 10 matches because of both the caliber of the vanquished and the circumstances at play. Miami were playing their third game in nine days and had to fly cross-country on short rest after their 0-0 midweek draw with Nashville SC. And still they handled the defending champs, with panache.

“We had spoken about it before the game, that it would be a good test for us to see where we really are and what we’re capable of,” said Messi. “It was a difficult place to play on against a very good rival, the current champions. We walk away with a very important result for what’s coming.”

Head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said much the same.

“We’ve had a lot of really tough games, but yes, we feel that given the quality of the rival, tonight has been the most complex, and where we’re competed the best through 90 minutes,” said the veteran Argentine boss. “In other games we’ve paused; at some moments we have been dominated. But in today’s game we competed well and I say that because I think Los Angeles is a very, very good team.”