Two games without a win means the pressure has increased on MLS Eastern Conference pacesetters Inter Miami.
Defeat at home against Atlanta United – just a third MLS loss this season – was followed by a 3-3 draw with St Louis.
Miami have a two-point advantage in the Eastern Conference but they've played two games more than chasers Cincinnati, New York City and New York Red Bulls.
"The truth is we were missing a gear," Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said after the loss against Atlanta. "Let's say it was a night where the team went backwards compared to other matches, where we always found positive moments, even in difficult moments."
Inter Miami have a further 16 regular season games to come in the MLS and, with Lionel Messi and co in good tune generally, they'll still be expected to top the Eastern Conference standings, but it's certainly no foregone conclusion.
Messi Continues to Inspire but Duty Calls
World Cup winner Messi continues to lead by example for Miami. He became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 25 goal contributions in the 3-3 draw with St Louis City. With 12 goals and 13 assists in 12 games, Messi topped the previous record (16 games) set by LAFC's Carlos Vela in 2019.
Of course, for Miami, the worry now comes from the fact that Messi has since reported for international duty with Argentina ahead of this summer's 2024 Copa America tournament.
If the world champion Argentines make the final – be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida on July 14th - Messi could potentially miss six MLS games, one third of the remaining games for the Herons.
Luis Suarez wasn't named by Marcelo Bielsa in the Uruguay squad to face Mexico in a friendly this week, suggesting the 37-year-old forward won't be included for the Copa America. That could be music to the ears of Inter Miami supporters.
Fellow striker Leo Campana is expected to play his first major tournament with Ecuador, ensuring that Suarez's continuing presence could be a huge plus. Matias Rojas of Paraguay was called up by the Albirroja. Euro 2024 is also beginning this month, with Robert Taylor set to link up with Finland in Germany.
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Challenging Times in Store
Those 16 remaining MLS regular season games will see Inter Miami hitting the road on 11 occasions, including four of the next five.
That's a tough schedule that will see them visiting Philadelphia, Nashville, Charlotte and Cincinnati before they entertain Toronto on July 18th, the first game after the Copa America final.
With the Olympics in Paris to come as well, in which Diego Gomez (Paraguay) and Benjamin Cremaschi (USA) are expected to be playing, the Herons squad will be tested to its limit across the second half of the season.
With both New York City and Red Bulls joining Cincinnati in hot pursuit, and Columbus Crew having plenty of games in hand of their own to potentially play catch-up, the race for the Eastern Conference promises plenty more twists and turns.
