Inter Miami successfully bounced back from their recent exit in the Concacaf Champions Cup by comfortably defeating the New York Red Bulls 4-1. The Herons established a 3-1 advantage by halftime, courtesy of goals from Fafa Picault and Luis Suarez. Notably, this goal for Suarez ended a nine-match scoreless period, which is a crucial development for the team moving forward. Coach Javier Mascherano (Note: Original text mentions Mascherano, likely a typo for Martino) had previously stressed the importance of the team not solely relying on Lionel Messi, and while others contributed significantly early on, the Argentine superstar still managed to leave his mark.
In the second half, Messi combined with Telasco Segovia to secure Miami`s fourth goal of the game. While the Red Bulls` defending in this instance was questionable, it doesn`t diminish the superb interplay between the two players. Segovia received the ball just outside the penalty box and immediately passed it back to Messi. The Argentine maestro skillfully adjusted his position, returned the pass to Segovia, and continued his run into the area. Their evident understanding culminated when Segovia executed a first-time flick pass back to Messi, who finished coolly past goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, leaving him with no chance to make a save.
Messi frequently makes opposing defenses look inept, and this goal serves as a prime example of how Inter Miami aspires to play – with attacking freedom and a high tempo. They struggled to implement this style in recent fixtures against teams like Vancouver or the Columbus Crew. While the New York Red Bulls may not currently be on the same level as those opponents, returning to this effective playing style in this match was vital for Miami. Their next objective is to replicate this level of performance when they face Minnesota United, one of the leading teams in the Western Conference, on May 10th.
