Mascherano gets a win in his first preseason match, but there's work to be done with this squad
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Mascherano era begins with win over Club AmericaMessi scores in first club action since November
Picault starts in debut for Miami
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The Javier Mascherano era at Inter Miami is officially underway, but good fortune masked some of the challenges the young Argentine manager will have to tackle. Goals from Lionel Messi and Tomás Avilés ensured a 2-2 draw before Miami secured a penalties win over reigning Liga MX champions Club América, despite glaring struggles in midfield and defense.
The opening 20 minutes were disastrous for Inter Miami, who struggled to retain possession and were dominated by , holding just 21 percent of the ball. With their attack heavily reliant on maintaining possession, Miami’s inability to control the game left them vulnerable defensively. This was evident in the 31st minute when Avilés and Marcelo Weigandt were carved apart, allowing Henry Martín to find space at the far post and open the scoring for Club América.
Messi, however, responded quickly. Just three minutes later, Jordi Alba exploited a huge pocket of space on the left flank and delivered a cross. Though initially blocked, Luis Suárez collected the rebound and found Messi, who rose to head the ball past Liga MX star goalkeeper Luis Malagón. Not known for his aerial prowess, the 37-year-old Messi, standing at 5-7, showcased his ability to threaten the opposition in new ways with a rare header.
Coming out of the break, Miami seemed to have the momentum, but a costly error set them back. Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo collided with Federico Redondo and spilled the ball, which Israel Reyes pounced on to lob past the keeper, giving Club América a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute. Club América couldn’t close the game, however. In the dying seconds of added time, Avilés redeemed himself, heading home the equalizer to force penalties.
With momentum on their side, Miami capitalized in the shootout. Ríos Novo turned from villain to hero, saving two penalties. The decisive moment came from 17-year-old Santi Morales – son of Real Salt Lake legend Javier Morales – who coolly converted the game-winning penalty to seal the victory for Miami.
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This was Mascherano's first match as a club manager. His only other managerial stints have come with the Argentina youth teams, the U20s from 2022-24, and the Argentina Olympics squad at last year's Paris Games. His inexperience might have been on display following halftime.
Inter Miami were nearly five minutes late to the second half kickoff, with cameras catching the officiating crew needing to check in to see if the club was going to emerge.
ImagnTHE MVP: LIONEL MESSI
The Argentine legend wasn't on the pitch for the deciding late stretch, but he appeared to be a man on a mission for the 66 minutes he was on the pitch. This wasn't a preseason encounter in his mind, and he showed that in his performance on the pitch.
Messi equalized just three minutes after Martin's opener and immediately gestured at the Club America fans and cameras showed the forward continuing to trash talk toward the Liga MX fans throughout the game. Considering the pressure on Inter Miami this season, his first appearance was almost a tone setter of what to expect from the 37-year-old.
ImagnTHE BIG LOSER: FAFA PICAULT AND MIAMI DEFENSE
Fafà Picault struggled in his preseason debut for Inter Miami. The Haitian international appeared out of sync with veteran left back Alba, often failing to overlap effectively or drifting too centrally despite his role as a winger. He also squandered a golden opportunity to score, hesitating to shoot on his first touch in a one-on-one situation against Club América’s Rodolfo Cota. That said, Picault showed promise with his aerial ability and pace. Finding his fit and building chemistry with his teammates will be key moving forward.
Defensive woes, a recurring issue last season, were also on display. While it’s just the first preseason game – and new signing Gonzalo Luján wasn’t available – the breakdown that led to Miami conceding their first goal was painful.
Weigandt and Tomás Avilés were beaten too easily in the box, allowing Martín to score at the far post. Avilés redeemed himself by netting a late equalizer to force penalties, but as a center back, improving his marking must be a priority. Meanwhile, Ríos Novo’s blunder proved costly despite his penalty heroics.
If Inter Miami hope to contend for an MLS Cup and other trophies this season, eliminating defensive lapses has to be Mascherano's main priority.
