Inter Miami 4-1 New York Red Bulls: Messi and Suarez help hosts end losing run
The New York Red Bulls proved no match for Inter Miami, who were inspired by two marquee players in Florida on Sunday.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were both on target as Inter Miami snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 thrashing of the New York Red Bulls in MLS.
Miami lost both legs of their Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final against the Vancouver Whitecaps, as well as losing for the first time in the league this season at FC Dallas.
Javier Mascherano's side returned to form at Chase Stadium in Florida as the Red Bulls rarely offered a threat, keeping them winless on the road in five games this campaign.
Suarez's glancing header from Marcelo Weigandt's ninth-minute cross found Fafa Picault to steer home an off-balance finish to open the scoring.
Mascherano's side doubled their lead 21 minutes later when Carlos Coronel saved an initial Weigandt header from close range, before the Miami man followed up to convert his own rebound.
A classical Messi run brought the hosts' third six minutes before the break, the Argentina great beating his man before finding Suarez, whose first effort was blocked before the Uruguayan applied the finishing touch.
Eric Choupo-Moting grabbed a consolation goal just two minutes before half-time, showing his striker's instinct to tap home on the line after Mohammed Sofo's header had looped over Oscar Ustari.
However, that would not prove to spark a comeback as Messi rounded off the scoring with his ninth goal across all competitions this season in the second half.
The former Barcelona forward exchanged passes with Telasco Segovia before receiving a return ball and lashing into the roof of the net past the helpless Coronel.
The result left Miami fourth in the Eastern Conference, ahead of a trip to face Minnesota United next week, while the Red Bulls sit ninth in the same division.
Data Debrief: Magic Messi
Messi has recorded a goal contribution in nine consecutive home league matches (11 goals, three assists) after his second-half clincher here.
That marks Messi’s longest run of home league games with a goal contribution, since also managing a nine-match streak with Barcelona in 2020.
Miami won the last meeting between these two teams 6-2, and a 4-1 win in this encounter furthers their head-to-head dominance, after scoring a total of eight goals in the first nine meetings with the Red Bulls.
The scoreline may have flattered Mascherano's side, however, given Miami accumulated 2.15 expected goals to New York's 1.38, suggesting a superior quality of finishing rather than ultimate control.