Grading Inter Miami, Messi’s Underwhelming Showing Against USMNT Hopeful

The draws continue at Nu Stadium. Inter Miami made their home debut under new manager Guillermo Hoyos on Saturday, playing to an underwhelming 1–1 draw against the New England Revolution, after opening the stadium with a pair of 2–2 draws against Austin FC and Red Bull New York under Javier Mascherano's tutelage.

The Herons had plenty of chances throughout Saturday’s match, posting 18 shots, including 10 on target, but were ultimately met with a stronger match in U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Matt Turner, who will hope his second-consecutive standout performance will help him catch the eye of USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino and reclaim the starting role for the World Cup.

Following a scoreless first half, the Revolution broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, when Dor Turgeman stripped Miami center back Maxi Falcón of the ball off a throw-in, before Carles Gil chipped a near-side shot past Dayne St. Clair.

Miami equalized in the 76th minute when midfielder Rodrigo De Paul sent a perfectly weighted pass to striker Luis Suárez, whose shot rebounded into the path of Germán Berterame, who then fired the ball to claim a third straight draw at Nu Stadium.

Here is Sports Illustrated’s breakdown of the match, featuring report card grades for each Inter Miami player who saw the pitch.

Inter Miami Report Card vs. New England Revolution (3-4-3)

GK: Dayne St. Clair—D: While the Canada international made several key stops through the first 60 minutes, he failed to adjust to cover his near post after Turgeman beat Falcón, allowing a tidy chipped finish for Carles Gil to put the visitors up 1–0.

RCB: Gonzalo Luján—C: Tasked with the wide threats of Peyton Miller and Turgeman’s diagonal runs, Luján took an extremely physical approach to his defending, finishing the night with three defensive actions.

CB: Maxi Falcón—F: The start of the match showcased some communication errors as Miami and Falcón adjusted to playing with a back three, and things got worse from there. On New England’s first goal, Falcon was tentative on a clearance despite having ample time, before Carles Gil stripped him of the ball and chipped a finish past St. Clair. With all the struggles from the Uruguayan defender, it is perplexing that Miami still rely upon him to center the backline.

CLB: Micael—C: If Micael had the chance to go back and rework his Inter Miami deal, he might just do that. With the amount of times he has had to cover for Falcón’s mistakes, he is proving to be a vital piece of Miami’s setup. Yet, he has consistently been left out of position, when looking to solve other defensive concerns.

RWB: Facundo Mura—C: The 27-year-old Argentine was unable to create many chances with a more attacking outlook, as right back continues to be a questionable position for the Herons.

CM: Rodrigo De Paul—A: After a slow start to the season, the Argentine international has impressed over the last several weeks, with Saturday’s game proving no different. He showcased clear vision and patience on the ball, leading to a secondary assist on Berterame’s 1–1 goal.

CM: David Ruíz—C: The young midfielder stepped in for the suspended Yannick Bright and ensured that De Paul had a productive evening. While he did not make a massive difference in his third start of the season, he allowed De Paul to take on more attacking movements—and he can count himself lucky that Gil failed to finish a free-kick, which followed a risky foul.

LWB: Noah Allen—C: Shifted to a wingback position and given more room to roam attacking-wise, the Greek youth international was active in wide areas and was not afraid to take on defenders in order to gain crossing opportunities.

RW: Lionel Messi—C: The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had plenty of time on the ball, amassing 98 touches, but struggled to produce as he started as a winger, before shifting to a more central role in the second half.

ST: Luis Suárez—B+: The Uruguayan attacker has developed more trust under Hoyos’ leadership and made several key runs in behind the backline through the match, including a 71st-minute sprint for a curled-in pass from De Paul, before a defender pushed him from behind, sparking unanswered calls for a penalty kick. Moments later, he made the key run and shot, leading to Berterame’s goal.

LW: Germán Berterame—A: Germán Berterame was the target man under Mascherano, but his adjustment to a providing role for overlapping runs from Messi and Suárez against New England showcased a new element to his game. In the 38th minute, he played a perfectly weighted chipped pass to Messi, who was unable to control the opportunity on goal, before finding himself in the perfect position to finish off a rebound for his third goal in four games.

SUB: Tadeo Allende (46’)—B-: The hero of the run through the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs, Allende made an immediate impact when he came on at halftime, making key runs for through balls from De Paul and other midfielders.

SUB: Ian Fray (69’)—C: The Jamaica international stepped into the match with more offensive edge than Noah Allen, putting a shot off target and making two crosses in a late-game push.

SUB: Preston Plambeck (69’)—B: The 20-year-old made his MLS debut in this match, signing a short-term contract from Inter Miami CF II just hours before kickoff. He put one shot on target from distance, but was unable to beat Turner.

SUB: César Abadia-Reda (76’)—C: A call up from Inter Miami CF II, Abadia-Reda helped solidify the defensive outlook in the final minutes.

Subs not used: Rocco Ríos Novo (GK), Daniel Sumalla, Alexander Shaw, Santiago Morales, Dániel Pintér

Winners and Losers

Winner: Rodrigo De Paul

After an underwhelming start to the season, Rodrigo De Paul’s recent form has been tremendous. The Argentine was responsible for many of the best moments in Saturday’s match.

Through the first half, he was consistently playing looped balls from the top of the box, when he drifted wide from his central midfield position. Yet, it was his second-half slicing passes alongside the ground that made the difference, first forcing an offside goal from Tadeo Allende, before sending Luis Suárez clear on goal, leading to Berterame’s rebound finish.

Just a few weeks ago, there were questions about whether he would make Argentina’s World Cup team as a struggling MLS midfielder. It’s evident he took that to heart, improving his play over the last four matches, which has seen him post three assists and a goal.

Loser: Maxi Falcón

Carles Gil comes out of nowhere to open the scoring for the @NERevolution in Miami. 🌬️ pic.twitter.com/VSePHaYZ02
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 26, 2026

Maxi Falcón has become the primary liability for Inter Miami and has been the reason that the team has dropped several points this season, including in all three matches at Nu Stadium. This week, he became too focused on a physical battle with Dor Turgeman that Carles Gil easily stripped him off the ball and finished into the goal.

While he appeared more confident in the back three than he has at times in the back four, which forces him out of position, it has become overwhelmingly evident that he is not strong, fast or skilled enough as a defender to shut down the often star-studded attacks across MLS.

What’s Next For Inter Miami?

After playing three matches in three cities in eight days, the Herons will now have the full week off as they prepare for the second Florida Derby matchup against Orlando City on Saturday, bringing the rivalry night to Nu Stadium for the first time ever.

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