Inter Miami had a feast at home with Orlando City, which they beat 5-0 this Saturday with a double from Luis Suárez, who thus debuted as a top scorer in the MLS season, and another two goals from Lionel Messi.
The Uruguayan created chances and gave two assists. This result becomes the most goals scored by Inter Miami against the Orlando Magic in their short history of rivalry. Gerardo Martino’s team has seven points out of a possible nine at the start of the MLS regular season and counts the two home games as wins.
The great rivalry and equality between both teams in their last editions of the Florida derby were annulled with two very early goals from the locals, both from Luis Suárez to inaugurate his private account in the MLS.
It was only the third minute when Messi served it to the right for Gressel, who found Suárez completely alone, reaching the heart of the area and finishing first with great power, with his right foot, and adjusted to the vertical, with no options for Gallese.
The Uruguayan was very motivated, very involved in generating play in three quarters of the field, and he not only scored the second in the tenth minute, but he created it. First partnering with Jordi Alba, then driving between Orlando defenders, and finally playing a one-two with the first touch, again with Gressel, who left him the perfect ball to shoot inside the area, this time with his left foot, showing resources.
Suárez could have scored the hat trick in the 28th minute, leaving Gallese alone, but he was generous with Taylor so that the Finn could score at will. The game was over due to the local efficiency and the lack of reaction from the visitors. Messi looked for the first for himself from a set piece but found the post. The attraction was already that the Argentine could celebrate a goal for the first time this season in front of his fans, and we would have to wait for the second half.
Already in the second half Miami had two very clear goals to score the next one. First Messi from outside the area after one more loss of the ball at Orlando’s exit, the second was from Gressel, this time the wall with Suárez was done in reverse, and the North American crashed it into the crossbar.
Orlando resigned in the match, and Gerardo Martino’s men continued looking for the goal, until they found it. We had to wait until 56 for one of the best actions of the night. Alba traveled 50 meters driving the ball and teamed up with Suárez, with another wall he was left alone and finished with a flourish, but he ran into Jansson, who when trying to clear it sent it to the crossbar and the rebound was left to a merciless Messi, who with temperance and grabbed by the Schlegel, he put it away.
The Chase Stadium crowd was asking for the fifth and it came out in the 61st minute. Diego Gómez started the play, Suárez crossed from the left and Messi headed from a long distance, diving and crossing the ball in front of a frustrated Gallese. The closest thing to danger for Orlando City was that Muriel received the ball inside the small area, and this happened with 20 minutes remaining, but Callender was relentless and gave him no option to finish.
Enrique, who entered in the final stretch, was about to beat Callender with a powerful shot before which the American goalkeeper stretched and saved from low. With time running out, Messi was knocked down on the edge of the area and he took the shot, but sent it too high.
Inter Miami: Callender; Yedlin, Avilés (Kryvtsov, d. 78), Freire (Allen, d.79), Alba; Gressel (Ruiz, m. 67), Busquets, Gómez (Mota, m.79); Messi, Suárez (Campana, m. 67) and Taylor.
Orlando City: Welsh; Pórhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Saints (Smith, m. 58); Araujo, Cartagena (Lodeiro, m.46), Towers, Ojeda (Philip, m. 73), Angulo (Henry, m.58), McGuire (Muriel, m. 46).
Goals: 1-0, m.3: Luis Suárez. 2-0, m.10: Luis Suárez. 3-0, m.30: Robert Taylor. 4-0, m.56: Leo Messi. 5-0, m.61: Lionel Messi.
Referee: Jaime Herrera (Mexico). He booked Diego Gómez, Leo Campana and Noah Allen and Robert Jansson.
Incidents: Match of the third day of the MLS regular league played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale before about 21,000 spectators.
