da heads bet： Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi couldn't contain his laughter after team-mate Robert Taylor missed two penalties in eventual defeat to Vissel Kobe.

da brdice： Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Inter Miami lost on penalties to Vissel KobeTaylor missed two penalties in shoot-outMessi and Alba saw the funny sideWHAT HAPPENED?

The Herons fell to their fourth defeat of a terrible pre-season, losing on penalties to the Japanese side after a 0-0 draw in regulation time. Messi came on as a second-half substitute but could only watch on as he saw Miami falter on spot-kicks. Perhaps most spectacular were the failings of Taylor, who missed his first penalty only to be handed a lifeline after the goalkeeper was adjudged to be off his line. He stepped up a second time but blazed wildly over via the crossbar, causing Messi to see the funny side alongside long-term team-mate Jordi Alba.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Messi laughed off yet another loss, preparations for the upcoming MLS campaign have been abysmal. Tata Martino's side won just one of their six off-season clashes – a 4-1 victory over a Hong Kong XI where Messi didn't even play in – while also drawing one and losing the rest, even if the last defeat came after normal time. The Florida-based outfit lost Facundo Farias,Benjamin Cremaschi and most recently Sergio Busquets through injury. They were damaged by off-field issues, too, as their trip to the Far East turned into a PR disaster following Messi's continued absence.

Getty WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Miami can almost put that pre-season behind them, with a final game against Messi's boyhood club Newell's Old Boys scheduled for February 15. Martino's side then only have a week to prepare for their MLS opener, which comes at home against Salt Lake.