Lionel Messi gets three shots on goal in Inter Miami’s 1-0 loss to FC Dallas

Lionel Messi had three shots on goal before exiting early in the second half in Inter Miami’s 1-0 loss to FC Dallas in an MLS preseason game at the Cotton Bowl on Monday night.

Messi took three shots in the first half and left the game about 15 minutes into the second half with Inter Miami trailing in front of an announced crowd of 32,221 in a game played in a drizzle and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scored twice in Inter Miami’s comeback win over FC Dallas in the Leagues Cup on Aug. 6 at Toyota Stadium.

Forward and United States international Jesús Ferreira scored on an uncontested shot three minutes into the match to give FC Dallas an early lead that held up.

After the early goal, Inter Miami controlled play for the balance of the first half, with eight shots on goal against three for FC Dallas. Messi’s first two shots were saved by goalkeeper Michael Collodi, who dove to his left to deflect Messi’s second shot in the 12th minute. Messi’s third shot was wide left in the 27th minute.

Uruguayan star Luis Suárez, who teamed with Messi at FC Barcelona from 2014-20, played in his first match on American soil after joining Inter Miami in December. Suárez had two shots on goal in the first half, the first saved by Collodi. The second sailed wide right in the 44th minute.

Inter Miami failed to score in its second straight preseason game after a 0-0 draw against El Salvador on Friday.

FC Dallas, which played at the Cotton Bowl until 2009, held off a flurry of shots early in the second half.

“To get to play against Lionel Messi is an unbelievable opportunity,” FC Dallas president Dan Hunt said prior to the match. “For most people, it’s a never. Most markets never get to bring him … you have the greatest probably of all time, with maybe the exception of Pelé, and you get to have him twice in your market — once we hosted at our home, and then we get to share with a different part of the community in Dallas.”

The 36-year-old Messi arrived in Miami last July and scored 10 goals in seven games. He led the club to its first-ever trophy by winning the Leagues Cup final on Aug. 19.

Inter Miami will travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Hilal next Monday and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr on Feb. 2. Neymar, a former Barcelona teammate and the final third of the famed “MSN” attacking trio alongside Messi and Suárez there, will not play as he continues to recover from major knee surgery last fall.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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