MIAMI: Inter Miami slumped to their first defeat of the Major League Soccer season on Sunday, losing 3-2 at home to Montreal after the Herons opted to rest Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.
Fernando Alvarez, Matias Coccaro and Sunusi Ibrahim scored as Montreal moved into second place in the Eastern Conference standings, trailing Miami on goal difference.
Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino opted to keep several of his first-choice starting lineup, with Messi left out of the lineup altogether and Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets on the bench.
But the wisdom of that decision soon came under scrutiny after Montreal dominated the early exchanges before Alvarez put the visitors ahead from a corner in the 13th minute.
Miami slowly worked their way into the game after that and in the 17th minute Jordi Alba had the ball in the net but was ruled out for offside.
The visitors went close to leveling just before half-time after Julian Gressel released Robert Taylor after a superb through ball.
Finland international Taylor deftly lifted his finish over the advancing Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, only to watch it crash back against the crossbar.
Taylor should have equalized moments later, but his header from Tomas Aviles’ encouraging cross went straight to Sirois, who collected easily.
Miami continued to generate more opportunities in the second half and had the ball in the net in the 59th minute when Taylor was ruled offside after a set-up by Leonardo Campana.
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But Miami finally got back on level terms in the 71st minute when Campana headed home at the back post from Lawson Sunderland’s pinpoint cross.
Miami’s hopes of maintaining their early season undefeated streak were left in tatters after Montreal scored twice in three minutes shortly thereafter.
Coccaro made it 2-1 after homer Mathias Choinière’s cross and then Nigerian forward Sunusi Ibrahim made it 3-1 with a defensive effort after a quick Montreal counterattack.
Alba raised hopes of an Inter Miami comeback with a wonderful 80th-minute strike from the edge of the area that curled into the top corner, but despite Miami’s late onslaught, the visitors held on to claim all three points.
In Sunday’s other MLS games, Cincinnati drew 0-0 at home to DC United, while in Nashville, the Los Angeles Galaxy recovered from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw.
A penalty by Teal Bunbury and a goal by Dru Yearwood in the 58th minute gave Nashville a 2-0 lead, but the Galaxy fought back to tie the game with goals from Riqui Puig and Dejan Joveljic.
