Inter Miami's Lionel Messi greets Saudi fans during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
New recruit Luis Suarez scored his maiden goal for Inter Miami and Lionel Messi scored a penalty but it was not enough to stop the Major League Soccer side falling to a 4-3 defeat against Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in Riyadh on Monday. An 88th-minute header from Brazilian forward Malcom settled an entertaining friendly at the Kingdom Arena after Miami fought back to 3-3 from 3-1 down early in the second half. The game was the latest leg of Miami's globe-trotting pre-season tour ahead of the start of the Major League Soccer season on February 21. Serbian international Aleksandar Mitrovic fired Al Hilal head in the 10th minute, coolly side-footing his finish beyond Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender after a well-worked move that split the defence wide open. Saudi international forward Abdullah Al-Hamdan made it 2-0 after 13 minutes, punishing a botched clearance from Miami defender Noah Allen. Miami's next match is against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in their second friendly in Saudi Arabia on Thursday before heading to Asia for games in Hong Kong and Japan.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi greets Saudi fans during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, left, in action during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Al Hilal's Michael Delgado, left shots the ball during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Al Hilal goalkeeper Habib Al Wotayan hits the ball during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi runs with the ball during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami's players celebrate after scoring during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami's players celebrate after scoring during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, left, fights for the ball with Al Hilal's Ruben Neves during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi fans wave a T-shirt of Inter Miami's Lionel Messi during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami's players pose for a group picture during the Riyadh Season Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.