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Inter Miami fans reacted after the side overcame Toronto FC 3-1 on Wednesday, July 17, despite missing superstar attacker Lionel Messi due to injury. The win took the Herons back to the top of Major League Soccer's (MLS) Eastern Conference standings with 50 points, two ahead of second-placed FC Cincinnati.
The absence of their talismanic forward, who suffered multiple injuries during Argentina's victorious Copa America 2024 campaign, did not seem to affect Inter Miami.
A goal from Paraguayan forward Diego Gomez (43') and a brace from newly-signed 21-year-old midfielder Federico Redondo (53' and 59') secured the win for Tata Martino's side.
Fans were extremely happy with the result, going as far as to say Inter Miami performed better in the absence of Messi.
@itssenyo wrote on X:
"Messi was holding this super team back, they are so much better without him."
@BosnianBH added:
"We perform better without Messi, Vamos Inter Miami."
Here is a selection of fan reactions from X:
@ItsTheD0n lashed out at the 37-year-old, claiming, "Messi would have held my team back by demanding for passes to make useless dribbles, get him out of my beautiful club we are so much better without him."
Referring to Diego Gomez, @suryasparrowOF wrote,"He is better than Messi."
"That's (Gomez's goal) a banger," @StettyWap noted.
"That’s a lovely timing and beautiful finish," @Big_5ve wrote about Gomez's strike.
"Diego Gomez back with a banger," @haydeygirl claimed.
@devon__305 exclaimed, "That was beautiful!"
"This is super, assist and goal," @iamsafdarafridi praised Miami's play.
@lsingh2015 commended the Paraguayan forward, writing, "Well done, Gomez!"
Inter Miami confirm Lionel Messi will be sidelined indefinitely with a right ankle ligament injury
On Tuesday, July 16, MLS side Inter Miami confirmed that Lionel Messi is ruled out indefinitely with a ligament injury in his right ankle.
Although Argentina lifted the 2024 Copa America title, the 37-year-old endured an injury-prone campaign. He hurt his thigh and groin in the second group-stage game against Chile (June 26), and was rested for the ensuing game against Peru.
In the final against Colombia (July 14), cameras captured his right ankle getting swollen like a tennis ball. The injury forced Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni to take him off the field in the 66th minute.
In a press conference before the Herons' game against Toronto FC, coach Tata Martino announced that Messi would be sidelined for a few weeks. He said the star forward would likely miss at least two MLS fixtures.
Inter Miami later confirmed that the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had undergone a medical examination to determine the extent of the injury. However, an update on his exact recovery timeline has not been released yet.
