Major League Soccer on Saturday saw Inter Miami put on the flair, thrashing Orlando City 5-0 behind two goals apiece from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Rival team Orlando from Florida placed second in the Eastern Conference the previous year and was thought to be a strong candidate for the MLS Cup this year, but Miami was superior from the start.
Suarez had struggled in his first two appearances due to lack of match fitness and sharpness, but the 37-year-old top scorer for Gremio in Brazil last season dispelled any concerns about his ability to play in the closing third of games.
“I’m very happy for him, that he was able to score. We were calm anyway, we know what Luis is and what he is capable of doing and everyone knows it,” Messi said.
“He is like that, when you least expect it he solves a game for you like he did today, with the goals and the assists.”
It only took Suarez four minutes to put Miami ahead, and he made a powerful first-time effort inside the near post to meet a low cross from Julian Gressel for his first goal as a member of the new team.
After just seven minutes, Suarez had doubled his total. Gressel had once again found the Uruguayan, who had excellent close control in the box before diving into the corner.
Miami were in total control and the crowd lapped up some delicious touches from Messi but it was his former Barcelona teammate Suarez who was doing the damage.
Robert Taylor made it 3-0 in the 29th minute after the excellent Gressel split the Orlando defenders, finding Suarez, who unselfishly picked out Taylor for a simple tap in.
Messi then struck a trademark, curling free-kick from 30 yards out against the upright and minutes later he provided a classy through ball to Suarez, who found the net. But his hopes of a hat trick celebration were denied by an offside flag.
Following the interval, Orlando came out swinging, looking for a way to get back into the game. They were upset when Martin Ojeda’s shot was flagged offside.
