Inter Miami slumped to their first defeat of the Major League Soccer season on Sunday, succumbing 3-2 at home to Montreal after choosing to rest Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.
Fernando Alvarez, Matias Coccaro and Sunusi Ibrahim scored the goals for Montreal, who moved into second place in the Eastern Conference standings where they trail Miami on goal difference.
Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino opted to rest several of his first choice starting line-up, with Messi omitted from the squad altogether and Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets on the bench.
But the wisdom of that decision soon came under scrutiny after Montreal dominated the early exchanges before Alvarez headed the visitors into the lead from a corner in the 13th minute.
Miami slowly worked themselves into the game thereafter, and Jordi Alba had the ball in the net in the 17th minute only for it to be disallowed for offside.
The hosts came close to an equaliser just before half-time after Julian Gressel’s superb through ball released Robert Taylor.
Finland international Taylor deftly lifted his finish over advancing Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, only to watch as it crashed back off the cross bar.
Moments later, Taylor had a golden opportunity to equalize, but his header from Tomas Aviles’ well-placed cross went straight to Sirois, who gathered it easily.
Miami continued to create chances in the second half, and they thought they had leveled the score in the 59th minute when Taylor set up Leonardo Campana, only for the goal to be disallowed due to offside.
However, Miami eventually found the equalizer in the 71st minute, with Campana nodding home at the back post after a precise cross from Lawson Sunderland.
Yet Miami’s hopes of maintaining their unbeaten record were dashed after Montreal scored twice in quick succession.
Coccaro made it 2-1 with a header from Mathias Choiniere’s delivery, followed by Sunusi Ibrahim extending the lead to 3-1 with a deflected shot following a swift Montreal counter-attack.
Alba briefly revived hopes of an Inter Miami comeback with a stunning strike from outside the area in the 80th minute, curling into the top corner. Despite a late surge from Miami, the visitors held on to secure all three points.
In other MLS fixtures on Sunday, Cincinnati played out a goalless draw at home against D.C. United, while in Nashville, Los Angeles Galaxy staged a comeback from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw away from home.
Teal Bunbury’s penalty and Dru Yearwood’s 58th-minute goal initially put Nashville in a 2-0 lead, but Galaxy rallied back with goals from Riqui Puig and Dejan Joveljic.