Penalty miss for Messi in Inter Miami's defeat, another big night for the Israelis

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are in a bad period. Tonight (between Saturday and Sunday), the MLS champion returned to the league and suffered a third consecutive defeat in all competitions, 4:1 to Nashville, with the Argentine star missing a penalty. Tai Baribo, on the other hand, is in great shape, scoring for the fifth game in a row and for the sixth time in the last seven games. This time it was only enough for a 1:1 draw against Montreal. Liel Abada also scored in Charlotte's 3:1 win, while Dor Turgeman could not help the New England Revolution avoid defeat.

Nashville - Inter Miami 4:1

Last Thursday, Lionel Messi returned to play for the first time since his father's death. "The Flea" came off the bench and could not help his teammates avoid a loss to Mexico's Leon in the Leagues Cup. Tonight the champion returned to the league, with Messi starting this time, but they continued their bad run and conceded four painful goals away from home against the Eastern leader, who opened a five-point gap at the top. Anibal Godoy put the hosts ahead in the 17th minute with a header from a difficult angle. Six minutes later, Messi had a chance to equalize after Jason Palacios fouled Luis Suarez in the box, but the Argentine shot very poorly, and Nashville goalkeeper Bryan Schwake saved it. Sergio Reguilon reached the rebound first and scored, but VAR detected an early entry into the box and the goal was disallowed. Miami's equalizer came three minutes into first-half stoppage time, when Messi found Talasco Segovia in the box, who made a great move and equalized. The second half was all Nashville, who sealed the deal with three goals in 14 minutes. Hany Mukhtar restored the lead for the locals in the 49th minute, and within seven minutes Sam Surridge scored the third. The blitz continued, and in the 63rd minute the fourth arrived, as Mukhtar completed a brace and made it 4:1.

Montreal - D.C. United 1:1

Exactly two weeks after the antisemitic incident in which two fans shouted slurs at Dor Turgeman during a Montreal game against the New England Revolution, the Canadian team took a significant step against those fans and banned them for life. Shortly after that move, Montreal hosted another Israeli, Tai Baribo, who continued the excellent form he has been in lately. After a scoreless first half, the locals received a penalty, which Prince-Osei Owusu sent in (50). The answer came within 16 minutes, when a patient attack by D.C. United ended with a cross from Kimito Nuno, which Baribo reached - heading in from close range to score for the fifth game in a row and his 12th goal of the season (in 16 games).

Charlotte - Columbus Crew 3:1

Before the three Leagues Cup games, Charlotte lost 2:1 to Chicago in the last MLS game, but tonight they returned to winning in the league with an important 3:1 home win, which placed them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The hosts stunned with a goal in just 29 seconds, when Brandt Bronico rolled in the first from close range. Columbus hadn't even had time to understand what was happening, and within just eight minutes saw Charlotte receive a penalty - which Liel Abada sent in. Cucho Hernandez brought the visitors back into the game with a goal in the 41st minute, but Pep Biel sealed the deal with Charlotte's third in the 73rd minute.

Toronto - New England Revolution 2:1

New England and Dor Turgeman continue to look bad and have not yet managed to get a win in August. Toronto closed the first half great, with an own goal by Will Sands (43) and another by Nicklas Dorsch in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time. New England could not do much even after Djordje Mihailovic's sending off (76). Wilson Harris did reduce the deficit in the 90th minute, but it was too little and too late.