Lionel Messi and Inter Miami suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Minnesota United on Saturday, marking their fourth defeat in the last five matches across all competitions. Despite Messi scoring early in the second half, Miami's ongoing defensive issues were once again exposed, with the team conceding 14 goals during this poor run of form.

Minnesota took control of the game in the 32nd minute when Bongokuhle Hlongwane capitalized on a clever pass from Joaquín Pereyra and Carlos Harvey. Messi, deployed in a more fluid role without a traditional striker, had a quiet first half, with his only shot easily dealt with.

Minnesota doubled their advantage just before halftime. A long throw-in from Michael Boxall was headed on by Nicolas Romero, and Anthony Markanich nodded the ball in at the back post, leaving Miami with a difficult task in the second half.

However, Messi offered a glimmer of hope just three minutes after the restart when he received a pass from Jordi Alba and calmly finished to reduce the deficit. But Minnesota responded quickly, as Tani Oluwaseyi’s header led to an own goal by Marcelo Weigandt, before Robin Lod added a fourth with a precise finish from the edge of the box.

After the match, Miami head coach Javier Mascherano expressed frustration over his team's failure to adapt to Minnesota’s threats, particularly on set pieces and counterattacks. “It’s a tough loss. We knew how Minnesota could hurt us in these situations, but they did exactly what we had prepared for. If the players don’t perform, the responsibility falls on me,” Mascherano said.

Elsewhere in MLS, the New York Red Bulls stunned defending champions LA Galaxy with a 7-0 thrashing. The Galaxy, missing key players like Riqui Puig, were overwhelmed by the Red Bulls’ attack, with Eric Choupa-Moting scoring twice and Emil Forsberg adding a brace, including a fantastic free-kick.

In another thrilling match, the Philadelphia Union were held to a 2-2 draw by the Columbus Crew, despite Frankie Westfield’s first MLS goal seemingly securing a win. Sean Zawadski’s stoppage-time equalizer ensured the Crew remained unbeaten on the road. FC Cincinnati remained at the top of the Eastern Conference after a 2-1 win over Austin.

San Diego also continued their impressive debut MLS season, earning a 2-1 win at St. Louis, with goals from Milan Iloski and Anders Dreyer. Nashville picked up a 2-1 victory over Charlotte, with Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg scoring for the hosts.

For Messi and Inter Miami, the loss to Minnesota serves as a stark reminder of the challenges they face as they look to recover and bounce back in their next match.