The MLS was compelled to substitute referees just hours before the game began due to a social media photo that surfaced showing referee Guiherme Ceretta sporting an Inter Miami jersey
Shortly before play got underway in Inter Miami’s Major League Soccer (MLS) match against Orlando, pictures of Guiherme Ceretta, the match referee, sporting a Miami jersey surfaced. As a result, the official referee for the match had to be replaced.
MLS referee Guiherme Ceretta removed from soccer match after being spotted wearing Inter Miami jersey
🚨⚽️ | NEW: MLS Referee Guiherme Ceretta Caught wearing Inter Miami jersey pic.twitter.com/SOK43FUg6o
— Crestovenia (@mcfc_cresto) March 3, 2024
The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) released the referee assignments for the match between the rivals from Florida on Saturday. Ceretta was first listed as the official who would take centre stage, but Jamie Hererra swiftly took his place in the aftermath of the incident. “Referee Guiherme Ceretta was removed from the game due to a potential conflict,” PRO said in a statement to The Athletic.
In the hours before the derby, a social media account shared pictures of Ceretta wearing an official away Miami strip. However, the organization acted immediately after the X (formerly Twitter) post surfaced. In the hours following the release of the images, Herrera formally took Ceretta’s position. The assignments were released at 14:00 UK time, and according to talkSPORT, the modification was made four hours later, with the match starting at 21:30. Herrera was initially acknowledged as the tie’s fourth official, but Ivan Cid Cruz has now assumed this position as a result of the images being more public.
🚨🚨The center referee for today's Inter Miami vs. Orlando City game has been changed from Guiherme Ceretta to Jamie Herrera, after photos came out of Ceretta in a Inter Miami kit #MLS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/i9hkYjjrY1
— PSG Chief (@psg_chief) March 2, 2024
Inter Miami 5-0 Orlando City
In Major League Soccer on Saturday, Inter Miami defeated Orlando City 5-0. The game’s two top scorers, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, each netted two goals. Miami had a better showing than Orlando, who placed second in the Eastern Conference the previous year.
Suarez’s outstanding performance hushed any concerns about his ability, even if he had struggled with form and conditioning in his previous two games. Just four minutes into the game, Suarez scored his first goal for Miami, demonstrating his rapid influence. Julian Gressel’s first attempt was a strong one, coming from a low cross. Then, with Gressel’s help, he doubled his score in the eleventh minute with another well-taken goal.
After a superb assist from Gressel in the 29th minute, Robert Taylor added a third goal as Miami maintained their dominance in the game. Messi demonstrated his abilities once again, sending Suarez via a beautiful through ball that found the back of the net after he curled a free kick and struck the upright. But an offside flag prevented him from celebrating his hat-trick.
Orlando came out swinging in the second half, but Miami held firm, and their efforts were in vain. For the fourth goal, Jordi Alba combined with Suarez before the ball swerved off Orlando captain Robin Jansson and found Messi, who finished easily. Later, Suarez set up Messi for the game’s fifth and final goal as he found Messi at the back post with a superbly weighted left-foot cross, with the Argentine heading the ball into the far corner.
Miami is off to a great start to the season, with seven points from their first three games.