Last Updated: February 07, 2024, 18:50 IST
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi in opposition to Vissel Kobe in Tokyo (AP)
Lionel Messi got here on in the sixtieth minute in Inter Miami’s pleasant loss to J-League aspect Vissel Kobe in Tokyo.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi happy Tokyo followers on Wednesday in a pleasant match that ended in a 4-3 penalty shootout loss to Vissel Kobe after the sport ended goalless.
It got here days after his absence on the pitch in a latest Hong Kong pleasant had angered followers there.
He began on the bench in Inter Miami’s pre-season recreation in opposition to J-League aspect Kobe, worrying 28,614 spectators at Tokyo’s National Stadium, who chanted “Messi, Messi” in sporadic makes an attempt to carry out the star.
The silence on the Tokyo stadium was deafening at instances through the principally uninspiring match between the J-League champions and th MLS aspect.
They nonetheless started to sense their success early in the second half, when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and different substitutes started warming up, pleasing a whole bunch of followers who had been seated simply behind the Inter Miami bench.
The second got here round quarter-hour into the second half, when the World Cup-winning Argentine changed David Ruiz, sending the ecstatic crowd right into a second of roaring frenzy that was adopted by passionate cheers at his each contact.
In the 79th minute, he dribbled solo into the Kobe field and fired in a detailed-vary shot that was saved by goalkeeper Shota Arai.
Vissel had additionally confirmed promise particularly early in the match with former Japan worldwide striker Yuya Osako hitting the submit quarter-hour into the sport.
A minute later, Osako struck the woodwork once more.
Kobe received the penalty shootout, with Messi no collaborating.
This was in stark distinction, the match in Hong Kong drew 40,000 followers, with spectators paying up to almost HK$5000 ($640) per ticket. In Tokyo, complete blocks of seating on the Japan National Stadium remained unoccupied, with simply 28,614 tickets offered.
Miami’s win in Hong Kong was their first in 5 pre-season matches.
They drew 0-0 in El Salvador, misplaced to fellow MLS aspect FC Dallas after which twice to membership sides in Saudi Arabia.
Messi got here on instead six minutes from the top of the sport in Saudi Arabia final Thursday.
They have yet another pleasant, at dwelling to Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys subsequent week, earlier than the brand new MLS season begins on February 21.
(With inputs from Agencies)
