As the highly anticipated match this Saturday between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium grows closer, speculation is dwindling on if worldwide soccer star Lionel Messi will touch the field on Saturday.
Wednesday, SKC had training at Arrowhead ahead of the match. Players were posting on their Instagram stories of them sitting at Patrick Mahomes’ locker and walking out on the pitch for the first time. Sporting’s social team was also posting about their training onsite.
Inter Miami played a Concacaf Champions Cup Quarterfinal on Wednesday against Monterrey at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico. After a 2-1 loss at home last Wednesday, Inter Miami is looking for a chance to advance to the semifinals. Going into the half, Monterrey leads 1-0 after a few missed cues from Inter Miami with Messi taking the 2 shots for Miami and missing both. Miami ruled the possession meter at 60/40 in the first half. Miami’s hopes faded after a Monterrey goal in the 58’ from Germán Berterame with another goal coming shortly after the second goal of the night from Monterrey scored by Jesús Gallardo. Inter Miami would’ve had to score five goals in 26’ to advance to the semis. A second yellow card in 4 minutes for Jordi Alba, making Inter Miami go down to a 10-man team with 11’ left. Not a complete shutout for Inter Miami, though, with a goal from Diego Gómez in the 85’ assisted by Lionel Messi after a set piece. In the end, Inter Miami does not move on in the Concacaf Champions Cup after a 3-1 loss to Monterrey. “Today’s defeat takes away a hope we had, which was to be able to move forward in this competition” manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino said after the match.
Johnny Russell was in training the entirety of this week. I got to watch training Thursday and Johnny looked good. Running around being a full participant in training. “I probably won’t be able to decide that, probably till after tomorrow“ manager Peter Vermes said about Russell’s availability for Saturday. Sell-out capacity at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium ahead of this weekends match, Vermes commented on what it means to bring a game like this to ‘The Loudest Stadium in the World’, “It will be a great game for a venue like this” Vermes said on Thursday.
Witness this history-making match this Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Tickets are still available and can be found on Ticketmaster. Gates open at 5:30p and kickoff is at 7:40p.
Cover: Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports
