Messi and Suárez silence doubters as Inter Miami crushes rivals | OneFootball

Inter Miami returned to winning ways in the MLS regular season with a 4-1 win over the New York Red Bulls at Chase Stadium. Fafa Picault, Marcelo Weigandt, Luis Suárez, and Lionel Messi were on target as the Javier Mascherano-led team reached 21 points in the competition and snapped a three-game losing streak. The result keeps the club in an easy position at the table, fourth, and reinforces the point of requiring veteran players on the pitch.

Early goal and totalling score within the first half

Inter Miami scored at the 9th minute through Fafa Picault. It started with a right-wing cross by Marcelo Weigandt, was followed by a Suárez header, and ended with a first-time right-footed shot by Picault inside the box. It was his third in this MLS regular season. Suárez's assist was his sixth in the competition.

Marcelo Weigandt found Inter Miami's second goal in the 30th minute. Off a box scramble, he placed it from close distance following a rebound from his own header. The third followed shortly. Luis Suárez fired inside the box with his left foot after his initial attempt was cleared by the defense. Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez netted his second regular-season goal and also helped with the team's first goal, recording two direct goal contributions in the 4-1 win.

New York Red Bulls pulled back in the 43rd minute via Mohammed Sofo. The striker hit before the break, cutting the gap to 3-1.

Inter Miami CF forward Luis Suarez (9) celebrates with forward Lionel Messi (10) after scoring a goal against the New York Red Bulls | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Messi scores and secures the outcome

In the second half, Inter Miami maintained control and added a fourth goal through Lionel Messi. In the 67th minute, the Argentine received the ball after a passing sequence with Telasco Segovia, who had entered in the second half, and finished with a powerful left-footed volley. It was Messi’s fourth goal of the season. Segovia, who played well after coming in, recorded his third assist of this regular MLS season.

The 4-1 score did not change until the final whistle. The team maintained the lead and did not give an inch of room for a comeback in the last minutes.

Mascherano's response after the win

Argentina boss Javier Mascherano reaffirmed the magnitude of the result. "We wanted the victory after three losses and to enjoy ourselves again," he stated. The quote supports the importance of the result on a poor form basis and a rising level of expectation on team performance.

The coach also considered the first half and understood the effectiveness in terms of conversion. "In the first half, we were good that we weren't in some games, not only because we had plenty of opportunities [to score]." He also pointed out moments of instability during the first half. "In the last 15, 20 minutes of the first half, we lost the ball, they built and grew on the field, and we were trying not to let them dominate the game."

Regarding the second half, Mascherano explained what was done while designing the cushion. "We tried, with the newest players, to take care of the ball better, dominate the game better, not play so direct." The coach showed sensitivity to how the team handles the ball, to reduce risks, even though they had a dominant score.