In Major League Soccer on Saturday, Inter Miami defeated D.C. United 3-1 without the injured Lionel Messi thanks to two goals from Luis Suarez, who came off the bench. With his sixth goal in seven appearances in all competitions for the South Florida club, Suarez maintained his impressive start to life in Major League Soccer.
Coach Gerardo Martino benched Suarez and Jordi Alba even though Inter Miami had lost their last seven games without Messi, a streak that began in September. Taking advantage of a Mateusz Kilch assist, Jared Stroud gave D.C. United the lead by shooting past Drake Callender on his first attempt.
The advantage, however, was short lived as Leonardo Campana, starting in place of Suarez for Inter Miami, saw his header saved by Alex Bono but eventually turned in after Federico Redondo collected the ball and D.C. failed to clear.
Robert Taylor was set up down the left by a brilliant cross-field ball from Busquets, but just before halftime, his low drive struck the outside of the post.
The 37-year-old Uruguayan Suarez was substituted in the 62nd minute with the intention of winning the match.
Ten minutes after entering the game, Suarez completed a brilliant move by heading home a low cross from Campana at the far post.
Then Diego Gomez, Inter Miami’s powerful Paraguayan midfielder, won the ball in the center of the field and broke forward, finding Suarez, whose route to goal was initially blocked.
Weekend wins🔥#DCUvMIA pic.twitter.com/xQrbzM5j3v
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 16, 2024
But Suarez was able to find space for a chip that Bono clawed at but was unable to stop crossing the line.
D C United had Pedro Santos sent off after he brought down substitute Shanyder Borgelin in the final minute.
Martino said Suarez’s performance had gone perfectly according to his plan.
“We had talked about him having half an hour and he defined the game,” said the Argentine coach.
“One of the coach’s tasks, with these players, is to convince them when to stop, when to allow themselves a break and not risk injury.I try to get them to make a contribution not only when they play 90 minutes but less, and boy, did he do that today.”
Martino said Messi’s rear-leg injury was being dealt with “week to week” and he refused to be drawn on his potential involvement in Argentina’s upcoming friendlies.
“It is clear that with him there is an objective that he can play in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. We’re not going to take any risks,” he said.
Inter Miami will play Mexican club Monterrey in the regional competition on April 3.At Chicago, Kellyn Acosta scored a remarkable wind-assisted stoppage time winner from inside his own half as the home side defeated Montreal 4-3.
The Canadian side led 3-2 at the end of normal time but Belgian Hugo Cuypers poked in an equalizer for the Fire in the fifth minute of added time.
Then, in the last of nine minutes stoppage time, Acosta got possession just inside his own half and launched a long ball towards the box which caught a freakish, strong gust of wind and sailed over stranded Montreal keeper Jonathan Sirois.
Defending champions Columbus Crew continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls with goals from Colombian Cucho Hernandez, Jacen Russell-Rowe and Aiden Morris.
72’ | Suarez gets our second 💥#DCUvMIA pic.twitter.com/Wxa0otLUHO
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 16, 2024
Los Angeles FC, the 2022 MLS champions, are without a win since the opening day of the season after falling 2-0 to improving Minnesota United.
New Minnesota manager Eric Ramsay enjoyed the perfect debut after joining the club from Manchester United as goals from Robin Lod and South African Bongokuhle Hlongwane secured the win.
Minnesota are unbeaten so far this season with three wins and a draw from their opening four games.
A 1-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo put an end to Phil Neville’s successful debut as Portland Timbers head coach.
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Keaton Parks was sent off in the 68th minute, but New York City FC overcame its three-game losing streak to upset John Herdman’s Toronto FC 2-1 in the season’s opening game.
