Leo Messi He scored a penalty in the 69th minute and gave the team a 2-1 victory this Thursday. Inter Miami about him Valley Independent Ecuadorian in a friendly match played in Puerto Rico in front of about 20,000 fans. After almost an hour of waiting for the match to begin, the two teams finally entered the field of the Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium, in Bayamón, exciting the spirits of the thousands of spectators who filled the stands of the island’s main soccer field.
The public expected to see Messi in the initial squad, but Inter Miami coach, Argentine Javier Mascherano, decided not to include him among the stars. The one who was among the starters for ‘Las Garzas’ was the Spanish nationalized American Santiago Morales, only 19 years old, and who in the 15th minute scored Inter Miami’s first goal. The goal came when veteran Uruguayan player Luis Suárez made a long pass to Morales, who then outwitted defender and goalkeeper Guido Villar to make it 1-0.
However, a minute later, Ecuadorian Patrik Mercado, from Independiente del Valle, equalized the score with a left-footed shot towards the right post that goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo could not control. Minutes later, the match became more physical. In the 37th minute, Suárez tried to break the tie with a powerful free kick that seemed to enter the goal due to its speed, but Villar was able to save it with his left hand and prevent the great goal.
Villar, however, fell heavily on the grass, so he had to be assisted by his club’s medical team, taken out of the match and replaced by Miguel Peralta. At the same time that Villar was assisted, several Inter Miami players, including Messi, began to warm up to enter, causing uproar from those present, who remained hopeful that the Argentine star would enter the field, but it did not happen until the start of the second half.
In the 62nd minute, Independiente del Valle had two great opportunities to break the tie, but goalkeeper Ríos Novo stopped both attempts. Seven minutes later Messi’s goal arrived, bringing thousands of spectators to their feet in celebration of the sporting moment for the island.
Prior to this Thursday’s match, Inter Miami had played three preseason friendlies: they lost 3-0 against Alianza Lima, won 2-1 against Atlético Nacional and tied 2-2 with Barcelona de Guayaquil. However, the latest precedent was not positive: last Saturday they lost 3-0 against Los Angeles FC on the first day of the MLStournament in which they defend the title.
For its part, Independiente del Valle started the 2026 season on the right foot after beating Guayaquil City FC 2-0 in the debut of the Ecuadorian league. In addition, they will once again compete in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, where they will be one of the seeds.
