Lionel Messi missed a penalty as Inter Miami fell 3–0 to Charlotte FC on Saturday night, as the North Carolina side picked up their ninth straight win in MLS regular-season action.
Idan Toklomati scored a hat-trick for The Crown with goals in the 34th, 47th and 85th minutes, helping head coach Dean Smith’s side clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs, while also tying the 2018 Seattle Sounders for the longest win streak in MLS history outside of the modern era.
Inter Miami were short-staffed on the night, only dressing 15 outfield players and two goalkeepers due to a mix of injuries and a three-match suspension to striker Luis Suárez for his conduct following the Leagues Cup final loss to Seattle.
Late on, things became even more dire personnel-wise, as young center back Tomás Avilés picked up a second yellow and earned a red card in the 79th minute.
Here are Sports Illustrated’s takeaways from Miami’s 3–0 defeat against Charlotte FC.
Lack of Suárez, Striker Depth Bites
Miami will have to find a way forward without Suárez for the next few weeks after struggling in attack as the Uruguayan served the first of his three-match suspension.
Instead of Suárez, head coach Javier Mascherano tweaked his lineup from the usual 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2, and played traditional right winger Tadeo Allende up top with Messi. Early on, the two linked up as Messi dropped deeper and played balls through to Allende, but that link-up evaporated, with Allende’s positioning being the primary issue.
Despite his drop in attacking output this season, Suárez has been a critical player on and off the ball and the club does not have the depth to replace his presence—especially with Fafà Picault also injured while representing Haiti.
In addition to Allende’s struggles as an outright striker, missing Suárez also forced Messi to the penalty spot, only for him to miss a Panenka against the 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Kristjan Kahlina.
Suárez will be back for the MLS Cup Playoffs and will likely play a vital role in Miami’s hopes of winning their first league title, and the club will need him at his best as they are unable to make any further changes to the squad following Friday’s MLS Roster Freeze.
Backline Struggles With Pace
The central defenders have been much improved for Inter Miami through the second half of the MLS regular season. Yet, they reverted to old habits on Saturday night, struggling to play out of the back, holding on to the ball while allowing opposition pressure and failing to keep pace with through balls to pace-focused attackers.
While Maxi Falcón positioned himself to take advantage of his physicality at times, he and Avilés both struggled to keep up with Toklomati, Wilfried Zaha and Brandt Bronico, with each of the three goals resulting from quick attacks—even the penalty.
At the same time, goalkeeper Oscar Ustari struggled to play out from the high press, allowing Charlotte to force turnovers. Meanwhile, by playing Rodrigo De Paul as a right midfielder instead of centrally, the Herons lost much of his defensive value.
Charlotte managed not only to score three goals, but also put up 10 shots and four big chances in a dominant showing and the kind of game that could cost Miami any hopes of a long run in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
It also makes things more challenging for Tuesday’s match against the Seattle Sounders, as it they will be missing Avilés from an already short roster.
Supporters’ Shield Hopes Fading
The primary target for Inter Miami for the rest of the season is to win MLS Cup on Dec. 6, and after the loss to Charlotte, that might be the only trophy they have a legitimate shot at.
While the Herons were ranked third in MLS in points-per-game heading into the match, they fell down the standings with the loss to Charlotte and could be close to saying goodbye to any chance at repeating as Supporters’ Shield champions.
Although the club has eight matches remaining and could make up considerable ground on Shield favorites the Philadelphia Union and San Diego FC, they will have to contend with considerable fixture congestion.
Taking all three points off a red-hot Charlotte side wasn’t going to be an easy task for Mascherano’s side, but with seven games in 21 days before Decision Day, the congestion could shatter their Supporters’ Shield hopes.
However, MLS Cup remains the main goal for any club in the league, and Miami already have a Supporters’ Shield in their trophy case. So maybe, just maybe... it’s all part of a plan.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Takeaways From Inter Miami’s Disappointing 3–0 Defeat to Charlotte FC.