Argentine Tomás Avilés secured a 2-2 draw this Saturday for Inter Miami against the three-time Mexican champion America in a match in which Lionel Messi He scored with a header and provoked, and Javier Mascherano made his debut with a good feeling. The friendly at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas showed Messi in good shape and Mascherano determined to implement a 4-3-3 as a basic tactical playbook.
Henry Martín and Israel Reyes scored the goals for América, led by Brazilian André Jardine. The Mexican formation controlled the first half, but it was not easy for them to find the ‘open Sesame’ to pierce the goal. In the 31st minute, the Mexican champion took advantage with a maneuver by Uruguayan Brian Rodríguez, who took the debuting Argentine goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo out of the goal and served for Martín’s goal.
Inter responded in the next play, in a counterattack in which three former Barcelona players came together. The Spanish Jordi Alba, from the left, sent a cross to the far post, where the Uruguayan Luis Suárez put a cross to Messi, who tied it 1-1 with a header in the 34th minute.
América began the second half with seven changes that did not affect the team’s assembly since in the 52nd minute it resulted in 1-2. Jardine’s team was close to their third goal in the 64th minute, but Néstor Araujo’s header did not It was accurate. After that, Mascherano took Messi and Suárez off the field in the 65th minute, and Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets in the 72nd minute.
With both teams full of substitutes, the match entered a phase of inaccuracies and little offensive play until in the 92nd minute, a header from Tomás Áviles from a corner kick sealed the 2-2 tie.
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Inter Miami will begin a preseason tour on January 29 that will begin with a visit to the Peruvian Universitario in Lima. América will continue its participation in the Clausura 2025 tournament, this January 25 against Santos Laguna.