In the 10th week of MLS this season, Miami International suffered a 3-4 reversal by the Dallas Football Club at home at Chase Stadium, swallowing the first league defeat of the 2025 season. This defeat made them temporarily ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference with 18 points.

Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez all sat out the game. Head coach Javier Mascherano chose to rotate the lineup and give the Catalan quartet a rest in preparation for the upcoming CONCACAF Champions League semi-final second leg in the middle of the week. Although Miami International once took a 3-1 lead, it eventually collapsed in the final stages, lost the good situation, and said goodbye to its unbeaten record in the league.

After the game, Mascherano said: "It was not easy. We played very well in the first 65 minutes and successfully took the lead, but unfortunately, I made mistakes in interpreting the game and ultimately failed to help the players. I did make some mistakes in some decisions."

Miami International must adjust quickly as they face Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. They are currently trailing 0-2 on aggregate after two legs, and the situation is quite grim.

Despite this, Mascherano remains optimistic. "It's all to win and nothing to lose, and we have to fight for victory from the first minute. If we don't stick to our style of play, it will be difficult to win the game. We need to score a goal as soon as possible, reduce the pressure and focus on what we can control."

"The key is to find the first goal, not to be impatient or panic. Once we get the first goal, I believe we will have a real chance."

Mascherano added: "I believe in this team more than ever. We have to play this game with hope and belief. If we score the first goal, I really believe we have a great chance of completing the comeback."

Miami International will continue to play at home on Wednesday against Vancouver Whitecaps, striving to stage a big comeback after falling behind 0-2 in the total score.