Fort Lauderdale –
Inter Miami bulldoze New York Red Bulls 6-2 in advanced Major League Soccer 2024. Luis Suarez performed brilliantly by scoring a hat-trick, meanwhile Lionel Messi no less shining by contributing one goal and five assists in one round.
Playing at Chase Stadium, Sunday (5/5/2024) morning WIB, Miami fielded its best players from the early minutes. Sergio Busquets is controlling the midfield, while Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Robert Taylor are coach Tata Martino’s mainstay trident.
However, it was the visiting team who scored first in the 30th minute. Wikelman Carmona’s shot after receiving Emil Forsberg’s through ball still hit the post, but Dante Vanzeir finished the loose ball to break into Drake Callender’s goal.
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Miami then recovered in the second half. Matias Rojas, who had just come on to replace David Ochoa, successfully scored a goal in the 48th minute. Rojas’ long-range shot after receiving Messi’s pass successfully nestled heavily in the right corner of the New York goal guarded by Carlos Miguel.
Two minutes later, it was Messi’s turn to get his name on the scoreboard. Rojas stole the ball from Carmona, leading to Miami’s counterattack. The ball was received by Suarez who then passed it to Messi. La Pulga coldly succeeded in conquering Miguel.
The Messi-Rojas collaboration resulted in another goal in the 62nd minute. Messi cleverly sent a through ball to Rojas who escaped the offside trap. Free and unmarked, the Paraguayan midfielder fired a chip shot to break Miguel.
Suarez didn’t want to be left behind in Miami’s goal party. In the 69th minute, he completed Messi’s pass with a first-time shot into the right corner of the New York goal. It didn’t end there, he scored his second goal in the 68th minute.
Suarez played a one-two with Messi and ended with a close-range shot that went through Miguel’s legs. The Uruguay striker then scored a hat-trick in the 81st minute. Once again, Messi contributed assists for him.
Through a counter-attack, Messi moved from the right side then sent a diagonal through ball into the penalty box. Suarez welcomed the ball and with one control, he then fired a shot from a tight angle to break into New York again.
LUIS SUAREZ HAT TRICK! 🎩
MESSI’S 5TH ASSIST IN THE HALF! 🐐
TAKE A BOW YOU TWO. 👏 pic.twitter.com/7zqbYXkex6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 5, 2024
The visiting team got an additional goal in injury time. Marcelo Weigandt’s violation of John Tolkin in the penalty box made the referee point to the spot. Forsberg, who was the kicker, successfully beat Callender.
The 6-2 score lasted until the end. This victory brings Inter Miami comfortably at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with 24 points from 12 matches. New York Red Bulls sit in fourth place with 17 points from 11 matches.
(adp/adp)