Inter Miami suffered a humiliating 6-0 defeat at the hands of Al Nassr in a friendly match at the Kingdom Arena on Thursday night. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who were both rested for the game, could only watch in dismay from the stands as their team was torn apart by the Saudi champions.
Al Nassr took the lead in the third minute, when Otavio headed in a cross from Alex Telles. Anderson Talisca doubled the score in the 10th minute, with a low shot from the edge of the box. Aymeric Laporte made it 3-0 in the 12th minute, with a remarkable goal from inside his own half, catching David Ospina off his line.
Al Nassr continued their dominance in the second half, and added three more goals. Talisca completed his hat-trick, scoring from the penalty spot in the 51st minute, and from a free kick in the 73rd minute. Mohammed Maran rounded off the scoring in the 68th minute, with a volley from a corner.
The result was a huge blow for Inter Miami, who are preparing for their second season in the MLS. The team, co-owned by David Beckham, had signed Messi in a sensational deal last year, but failed to impress in his debut campaign, finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Al Nassr, on the other hand, celebrated a memorable win, and showed their quality and ambition. The team, coached by Jorge Jesus, had won the Saudi Pro League title last season, and had strengthened their squad with the signings of Laporte, Talisca, and Otavio.
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The match was also a historic occasion, as it was the first time that Ronaldo and Messi faced each other in a club game outside Europe. However, the fans who had hoped to see the two superstars in action were left disappointed, as they were both rested by their respective managers.
