In his first MLS appearance since announcing his retirement from international football with Argentina, Messi was the center of attention at Nu Stadium on Saturday, and he delivered. The Argentine and strike partner Suárez combined for all four goals in a dominant 4-0 win over DC United, with Suárez striking twice in the first half and Messi adding two more after the break. Inter Miami, who controlled 62% of possession and registered nine shots on target, were barely troubled all evening.
Key Moments
- 3′, Suárez opened the scoring barely two minutes in, finishing from a Berterame assist to put Inter Miami in control almost immediately.
- 39′, Suárez doubled the lead before half-time, again set up by Berterame, who was a constant threat down the left and picked up his second assist of the night.
- 47′, Messi made it 3-0 just two minutes into the second half, converting a pass from Suárez to put the game well beyond DC United’s reach.
- 60′, Messi completed his brace on the hour mark, finishing off a ball from R. De Paul to cap a thoroughly comprehensive performance.
Tactical Breakdown
Inter Miami’s 4-3-3 was fluid and pressing from the opening whistle. With 62% possession and 622 passes (568 accurate), Kily González’s side suffocated DC United in their own half for long stretches. The xG figures tell a clear story: 2.57 to 0.60. Messi drifted centrally throughout the match, exploiting the space created by Suárez’s movement and Berterame’s width, while R. De Paul and Ayala gave the midfield enough protection to push the full-backs high.
The match was effectively over by half-time, but Inter Miami kept the foot down after the break. Suárez came off at 61 minutes with the job done, replaced by Riquelme Fillipi, and further rotations at 70 and 78 minutes allowed Kily González to manage minutes ahead of the next run of fixtures. R. De Paul, who assisted the fourth goal before being withdrawn, was the glue between midfield and attack in a performance that showed Miami at close to their best.
DC United head coach René Weiler tried to arrest the slide with a double change at 56 minutes, bringing on Ordaz and Peltola, then making two more changes at 68 minutes, but the visitors never found a way through. Their 15 shots yielded just two on target, and Johnson in goal was asked to make five saves. DC United’s compact 4-4-2 was overrun in the channels, and the back line had no answer to Suárez and Messi in combination.
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Verdict
The win moves Inter Miami to 46 points, level with New England Revolution in third but ahead on games played, keeping their grip on fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a playoff berth still in the picture. DC United, sitting 12th on 30 points, remain in the bottom half and will need to string results together to keep their own postseason hopes alive. For Miami, though, the evening belonged to Messi and Suárez: a reminder, if any was needed, of what this side looks like when firing.