MLS
Atlanta crush Messi-less Miami 5-2
Inter Miami rested Lionel Messi and suffered their first defeat since the Argentine joined the club, with a 5-2 hammering at Atlanta United damaging their playoff hopes on Saturday.
Messi had not made the trip to Atlanta, after a busy run of games since making his Miami debut in late July.
Miami coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino said after the loss that Messi had been suffering from “muscle fatigue” and that it would have been “very reckless to bring him to play this game”.
The 36-year-old sat out Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Bolivia in La Paz on Tuesday but watched his team-mates from the bench.
With no Messi last week, Miami defeated Sporting Kansas City 3-2 but this time it was a very different story for Martino’s team.
Miami went ahead in the 25th minute with a superbly taken goal from in-form Ecuadoran striker Leonardo Campana.
But the response from Atlanta, sixth in the Eastern Conference, was emphatic with three goals in eight minutes.
A glancing header from French midfielder Tristan Muyumba, which struck the inside of the post, was ruled to have crossed the line by the assistant referee.
Five minutes later, Atlanta had the lead when Brazilian winger Xande Silva dribbled to the byline and his pull-back was turned into his own net by Miami defender Kamal Miller.
Miami’s defence, without former Spain international left-back Jordi Alba, were reeling and Brooks Lennon added the third in the 44th minute with a sweetly struck shot.
Miami got back in the game in the 54th minute through a Campana penalty but — while they have made a habit of comebacks with Messi — there was no such revival this time.
As they pushed forward in search of an equalizer, Atlanta caught them on the counter with Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis slotting home his 14th goal of the season, bringing him level as joint top scorer in the MLS.
Another well-worked break resulted in the fifth in the 89th minute with Saba Lobzhanidze setting up Tyler Wolff to blast home.
Miami remain next to bottom of the Eastern Conference, six points behind D.C United who occupy ninth place, the last playoff spot.
Martino defended the decision to leave Messi and Alba — who he said also had muscle fatigue — at home ahead of a busy run of games with league matches on Wednesday and Sunday before the US Open Cup final on September 27.
“We risked worse consequences if they came to play this game,” said the coach.
Comebacks
Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati, already assured of a post-season berth, battled back for a 2-2 draw at last year’s MLS Cup runners-up the Philadelphia Union.
A Jose Martinez goal and a penalty from Daniel Gazdag had put Philadelphia in command, but the impressive Aaron Boupendza pulled a goal back for Cincinnati in the fourth minute of the second half.
The visitors grabbed a point when Boupendza found Brandon Vazquez with a magnificent low ball and the USA striker found the net.
In-form Orlando City produced an even more impressive comeback at home to Columbus, winning 4-3 after trailing 3-1.
Ramiro Enrique levelled in the 86th minute with an opportunist strike and then won the game in the seventh minute of stoppage time, taking advantage of chaos in the Crew defence.
In the Western Conference, Denis Bouanga scored twice for champions Los Angeles FC as they beat cross-city rivals Los Angeles Galaxy 4-2.
Bouanga headed LAFC in front in the 23rd minute but the Galaxy struck back immediately with English forward Billy Sharp firing home his third goal in five appearances since joining the club from Sheffield United.
But a Ryan Hollingshead strike restored LAFC’s lead only for Japanese veteran Maya Yoshida to bring the Galaxy back on level terms again.
Bouanga’s second and an 84th minute goal from Timothy Tillman clinched the derby win and allowed LAFC to narrow the deficit on leaders St. Louis City to six points.
The New England Revolution had a tumultuous week with the resignation, after an MLS investigation, of their head coach Bruce Arena and then a reshuffle of the interim coaching staff.
A win at Colorado would have secured a playoff spot but the Revolution fell to a 2-1 defeat to a team which had won just one of their last 18 games and have the worst record in the league.
The ‘Hudson River derby’ between New York City and New York Red Bulls ended goalless.
-AP
An unlikely person helped save Lionel Messi from receiving a postmatch red card on Wednesday night — San Jose Earthquakes coach Bruce Arena.
Messi of Inter Miami was irate when he was tackled just outside the box during second-half stoppage time of the 3-3 tie in San Jose. He barked at the officials after the non-call and his frustration increased after the contest ended, resulting in a yellow card.
Messi was still barking at the officials while shaking hands with assorted players on the field when he headed over to further confront the trio. Head referee Joe Dickerson said “walk away now” to the fuming Messi.
But there was Arena standing in the mix with Messi and the three officials, serving as part peacemaker and part negotiator before personally walking Messi away.
“He was obviously not happy, and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to get a red card,” Arena said during his postgame news conference. “I just tried to move him out of the way, because for him to get a red card at the end of the game would have been ridiculous.
“I just wanted to make sure we get him out of there and he’s ready to play the next game for Miami.”
Messi has five goals and three assists in nine MLS matches this season entering Sunday’s home game against Orlando City.
The tie with the Earthquakes gave Inter Miami a point but the club is just 1-2-1 over the last four MLS matches and 1-4-1 across all competitions. Miami has allowed 17 goals in the six matches.
-Reuters
Yassine Cheuko’s name might not be familiar but his face certainly should be. He’s Lionel Messi’s minder, the personal bodyguard who sticks to him like glue.
Run onto the pitch in search of a selfie with Messi and Cheuko will be there at the speed of Usain Bolt. Pose a threat, and he’s got the physique to smash an intruder into next week.
Messi enlists Cheuko’s services because they give him peace of mind. Argentina’s finest is prone to extreme levels of attention, and the trend of fans appearing on the field for impromptu photographs has grown over the years.
Cristiano Ronaldo fought a running battle at Euro 2024 — and over in MLS, Messi’s stature is bigger than the competition itself.
This season, though, Cheuko has faded into the background. He’s not as visible at Inter Miami games as he was, no longer marking Messi so tightly or religiously stalking MLS touchlines.
This week, he gave his version of why that was to the social media channel House of Highlights, saying his access to certain matches had been restricted. Here’s a flavour of his remarks:
“There’s a huge problem here. I’m not the problem. Let me help Messi. I love MLS and Concacaf, but we have to work together. I’m not better than anyone, but I have a wealth of experience in Europe. It’s fine, I understand their decision, but we could do better.”
Cheuko speaking publicly is an event in itself because he rarely gives interviews. He’s long been a mysterious part of Messi’s entourage, an MMA expert who was erroneously cast as an ex-Navy SEAL (rumours that Miami owner David Beckham hired him for Messi weren’t true either).
His activity did extend to an online spat with influencer and wrestler Logan Paul, who claimed Cheuko was sponging off Messi’s reputation. The pair have apparently arranged to fight each other.
Cheuko’s comments, some of which have been removed, generated a slew of reports claiming he had essentially been blacklisted from the MLS scene. So has he been shut out? And if so, why would anybody want to remove Messi’s self-employed line of defence?
MLS franchises and stadiums employ their own security staff, as does Concacaf for competitions such as its Champions Cup. From Messi’s perspective, however, his desire for an extra layer of protection is understandable. His sheer celebrity makes him vulnerable — and Cheuko claims there have been 16 instances of pitch invitations involving the Argentina captain since he joined MLS in 2023.
MLS could not verify that number but in response to a request for comment from The Athletic, it said it had not changed any rules affecting Cheuko. Concacaf declined to comment on the record, but Miami confirmed it was their decision to restrict Cheuko’s movement. He remains a club employee, bound by MLS protocols.
A source inside Miami’s dressing room told our writers that Messi wasn’t happy about this. “Lionel and Yassine are quite upset,” said the source, who requested anonymity over not being authorized to discuss the matter. “Yassine has always been really critical of all of the other security and suggested that if they were good at their jobs, he wouldn’t even be needed.”
It’s possible that Miami are pulling rank. This might be their way of saying that the cult of Cheuko, or specific security for one individual, isn’t working for them. Whatever the truth — and I’d recommend grabbing a coffee and checking out the full story — it’s another layer in the ever-evolving theatre around the world’s greatest footballer.
-The Athletic
Lionel Messi’s bodyguard Yassine Cheuko said he has been banned from protecting the Argentine forward from the touchline during Inter Miami matches.
Cheuko gained widespread recognition after social media videos showed him closely watching the crowd to stop potential pitch invaders from harming the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner.
Friendly – Hong Kong v Inter Miami – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong – February 4, 2024 Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and teammates sit on the substitute bench during the match as Lionel Messi security guard Yassine Cheuko looks on REUTERS/Lam Yik/File Photo
“They don’t allow me to be on the field anymore,” the bodyguard was quoted as saying by Spanish media.
“I was in Europe for seven years, working for Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and only six people invaded the pitch. I came to the USA and in just 20 months 16 people have already done so. There’s a huge problem here, let me help Messi.”
Major League Soccer said on Tuesday that its protocols regarding team security guards had not changed and multiple sides had designated team security guards that are stationed near team benches on the field.
Inter Miami have been contacted for comment.
-Reuters
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