Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano admitted his team was outclassed by FC Cincinnati after they suffered a 3-0 loss on Wednesday night at TQL Stadium in Ohio. With this loss, Lionel Messi’s MLS record streak of scoring two goals in a game also ended.
Gerardo Valenzuela scored in the 16th minute for Cincinnati whereas All-Star midfielder Evander scored a brace in the second half. With it, Evander kept a streak of his own going and set a Cincinnati record by scoring in a fifth consecutive match.
“Yes, I think we were clearly outclassed today,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “From the start of the match, we struggled a lot, especially in the individual encounters, to win. Perhaps one of the reasons is that we were physically very stressed, and in the long run, that ends up costing us.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t play the game we wanted from the start. They put us under pressure all the time. We struggled, we weren’t fresh, we couldn’t be sharp, and well, the truth is, they beat us very well.”
The Argentine football manager said he is worried as the opposition thoroughly dominated them throughout the whole contest.
“Obviously, I’m worried about losing,” Mascherano said. “I’m obviously worried when the opponent outclasses us, and today the opponent was outclassed from start to finish.”
Meanwhile, Miami’s goalkeeper Oscar Ustari had to leave the field in the first half because of an injury.
“As for Oscar’s situation, it’s still not very recent,” Mascherano said. “We don’t have any results of what it could be, so surely tomorrow, with some tests, we’ll be able to verify the extent of the injury.”
“Regarding injuries, I’m not a specialist. It clearly worries me because, in the end, the team has been suffering from a lot of muscle injuries all season,” Mascherano said. “The intensity of the games we’ve played, especially in the last month and a half, has been very, very high. But, well, we also clearly have to find some explanation, improve, and try to avoid it because obviously the team is gradually deteriorating with injuries.”
The Herons will next take on the NY Red Bulls on Saturday at the Red Bull Arena.
