Lionel Messi-Less Inter Miami Thrash Hong Kong XI In Pre-Season Friendly - Match Report

Lionel Messi stayed rooted to the bench as Inter Miami put four past a select Hong Kong XI in the latest leg of their pre-season tour

(Photo: X/ Inter Miami)
Inter Miami XI to face Hong Kong XI in Hong Kong (Photo: X/ Inter Miami)
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Lionel Messi stayed on the bench for the full 90 minutes on Sunday as Inter Miami defeated a Hong Kong XI 4-1 in the latest stop on the MLS team's preseason Asian tour. (More Football News)

While the Argentine's non-appearance was a disappointment for the fans who snapped up all 40,000 tickets at Hong Kong Stadium within an hour when they went on sale in December, it was a better performance for Miami after a 6-0 thrashing by Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr in Riyadh on Thursday.

Messi played the final seven minutes of the losing effort but a tight hamstring kept the eight-time Ballon D'or winner on the sidelines in Hong Kong along with Uruguayan forward and former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez.

The fans who filled the same arena a day earlier at least saw the 2022 World Cup winner in an open training session along with Miami co-owner David Beckham.

Robert Taylor opened the scoring for Miami five minutes before the break with a curling shot from the corner of the area. Henri Anier quickly leveled for the hosts, led by national team coach Jorn Andersen.

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