MIAMI: Jordi Alba and Tadeo Allende each had two goals to lead host Inter Miami to a 4-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The victory snapped a two-match winless streak for Inter Miami (17-7-8, 59 points), which moved into third place in the Eastern Conference standings. With two matches to play, Miami trails FC Cincinnati by three points for second place. Cincinnati has one match left.
Dor Turgeman scored the lone goal for New England (9-16-8, 35 points) as the Revolution came up short of victory for the fifth time in their past six matches.
Lionel Messi did not score for the second consecutive match, but he contributed by assisting on three of Inter Miami’s goals.
On the first goal, under a torrential downspout late in the first half, Messi delivered a precise through ball on the run to Allende, who fired the ball past New England goalkeeper Matt Turner in the 32nd minute.
Just before halftime, Messi intercepted a clearing attempt by New England near its own goal. He then dropped it back for Alba, who proceeded to bury it in the back of the net in the third minute of first-half stoppage time.
The Revolution put themselves back in contention for a victory in the 59th minute on a brilliant shot by Turgeman after he took the ball just past midfield from Carles Gil. As Turgeman worked the ball near Miami’s box, he fired a line drive past Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Rios Novo got the start in favor of Inter Miami’s regular starting keeper Oscar Ustari, who allowed a season-high five goals last Tuesday in a 5-3 loss to the Chicago Fire.
Inter Miami answered almost immediately. Within less than a minute, a rush up the field ended with Allende streaking toward the goal and finishing another assist from Messi.
Three minutes later, Alba tacked on another score off a great pass from Telasco Segovia.
Lionel Messi helps Inter Miami get back in win column vs. Revolution
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Lionel Messi helps Inter Miami get back in win column vs. Revolution
- Jordi Alba and Tadeo Allende each had two goals to lead host Inter Miami to a 4-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale
Alcaraz wins thriller with Fritz at ATP Finals, Musetti downs De Minaur
- Alcaraz needs one more victory to guarantee the year-ending world No. 1 spot
- Musetti’s 7-5 3-6 7-5 win means that all four players can still make the semifinals
TURIN, Italy: Carlos Alcaraz came under extreme pressure before overcoming Taylor Fritz 6-7(2) 7-5 6-3 in a thrilling match at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, before Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti beat Alex de Minaur in a dramatic encounter.
Musetti’s 7-5 3-6 7-5 win means that all four players can still make the semifinals, with the Italian facing Alcaraz, on two wins from two, and Fritz taking on De Minaur on Thursday to close out the Jimmy Connors Group, with the top two making the last four.
Last year’s finalist Fritz played the tennis of his life, as both men served up the best encounter of the season-ending championships so far, but the American ran out of steam as Alcaraz turned on the style and took the deciding set with ease.
Alcaraz and Fritz had won their opening group matches, and the Spaniard looked in real trouble when the American took the opening set in a tiebreak. Alcaraz faced break points in the second set but rallied back to draw level.
Fritz began to tire, and Alcaraz broke to lead 4-2 in the final set before wrapping up the win in two hours and 48 minutes by serving out to love.
“It was pretty tight, I was struggling more than him in the first set,” Alcaraz said. “I wasn’t serving well, and I think he was pretty comfortable from the baseline, from everywhere.”
Alcaraz needs one more victory to guarantee the year-ending world No. 1 spot.
Tuesday’s clash was a battle from the opening game, with Fritz taking nine minutes to hold after hitting three aces but also facing two break points. The American forced three break points in the next game before the pair traded breaks.
Fritz raced into a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak and smashed two aces to take the set. At 2-2 in the second, Alcaraz was rattled, his drop shots which earlier beat Fritz began to fall short but, after losing advantage five times, the Spaniard held on.
Alcaraz got lucky with a shot that hit the net but crept over in the final game of the second set and broke to take the match to a third, where the Spaniard outclassed an exhausted Fritz.
“I was really relieved after the win because of everything I went through during the match,” Alcaraz said.
“I wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I was in the first round, but I’m really happy that I found a way to come back.”
Magical Musetti
Musetti looked down and out with De Minaur serving for the match but those few who left early to beat the traffic missed out on a stunning comeback.
The Italian took the first set after breaking serve at 5-5, and De Minaur survived three break points in the second set opener before finding his first break points of the match at 4-4 and making them count.
De Minaur had control in the final set at 2-0 up, but when it came to the crunch Musetti found energy from somewhere to pull off a great escape, as defeat would have meant elimination.
After two spectators died from cardiac arrests on Monday, play was held up again for a medical emergency in the crowd in the final set of Musetti’s win. The match was suspended for several minutes before resuming. Local media reported a fan was transported to hospital in a serious but not life-threatening condition.
