Fort Lauderdale, United States: Lionel Messi鈥檚 growing frustration and Inter Miami鈥檚 miserable run of form continued with a 3-0 loss at home to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday.
The Florida derby defeat leaves Miami with just one win from their last seven games in all competitions and they slip to sixth in the Eastern Conference with Orlando leapfrogging them.
Messi had just two shots on target in the entire game and even scuffed a free-kick from his favorite spot as his own form slumped with that of his team.
鈥淣ow we鈥檒l truly see if we鈥檙e a team in difficult times, because when everything鈥檚 going well it鈥檚 very easy,鈥� Messi told Apple TV following the defeat.
鈥淲hen difficult times come, that鈥檚 when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and pull ourselves together,鈥� he added.
Messi also questioned the refereeing but in truth the loss had little to do with officiating and much to do with shambolic defending, a disjointed midfield and punchless attack led by the rapidly fading Luis Suarez.
Orlando grabbed the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal of absurd simplicity 鈥� goalkeeper Pedro Gallese launched the ball down the middle of the field and Luis Muriel ran clear and slotted past Oscar Ustari.
The visitors were getting plenty of joy from going direct against a Miami back-line which was all at sea and Argentine Martin Ojeda should have done better when he found himself clear on goal but blasted over the bar.
Miami鈥檚 veteran keeper Ustari then made a fine double save to deny Alexander Freeman and an Ojeda follow up shot but then the 38-year-old found himself to blame for Orlando鈥檚 second goal.
The ball fell to Marco Pasalic on the edge of the box and his low shot went through the hands and legs of Ustari.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano then threw on attacking players in a bid to retrieve something from the game but it was largely in vain.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time Duncan McGuire broke down the left and his low cross was slotted home by Icelandic forward Dagur Thorhallsson to wrap-up an impressive performance from the visitors.
Miami have conceded 20 goals and scored 11 in their last seven games with their only victory coming against the New York Red Bulls on May 3.
Mascherano said his team had started as planned before the goal changed the tone of the game.
鈥淚鈥檇 say for 25 or 30 minutes we had it completely under control playing in the opponent鈥檚 half, but this is how it is, clearly. I鈥檓 not going to deny what the result is,鈥� he said.
鈥淯nfortunately, we can鈥檛 afford the mistakes we make; that鈥檚 clear, but it鈥檚 pointless for me to come here and tell this story, because it keeps happening. So, clearly, we as a coaching staff are failing in many of these ways, and we have to try to find a way around them so we don鈥檛 continue failing and so the team starts getting results,鈥� he added.
Miami鈥檚 MLS campaign was going well until their exit to the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Mascherano admitted the team鈥檚 morale had been hit.
鈥淐learly, something has happened where the team has lost a lot of confidence. We have had a drop in level individually and collectively and it鈥檚 clear one way or another we have tried with different schemes, different names, and still today we are hurting. We will keep trying to find a way.鈥�