Inter Miami CF (7W-2L-3D, 24 points) earned an emphatic 6-2 win over the New York Red Bulls tonight at Chase Stadium in a memorable fixture that saw the team score the most goals in a match in Club history, in front of a second-consecutive Club-record home crowd. Yet another historic appearance from Lionel Messi led the team to victory on the night, with our captain tallying a goal and five assists to make MLS history by becoming the first player to register five assists in a match, and first to have six goal contributions in a game. Striker Luis Suárez’s first hat trick in MLS and a brace from second-half substitute Matías Rojas - his first Inter Miami goals - sealed the team’s dominant performance.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami took the pitch at Chase Stadium with one change to the team’s starting XI from last weekend’s road win over the New England Revolution. Drake Callender started in goal; Marcelo Weigandt, Tomás Avilés, Nicolás Freire and Franco Negri formed a line of four at the back; Julian Gressel, Sergio Busquets and David Ruiz formed the midfield three; captain Messi and Robert Taylor flanked striker Suárez in attack.
Match Action
A slow start to the match saw few attacking opportunities for both sides. It was the visitors, however, that broke the deadlock, with New York taking a 0-1 lead in the 30th minute through a goal by forward Dante Vanzeir.
Halftime then saw Inter Miami make a substitution as it looked to create more danger in attack, with Rojas coming on in place of Ruiz to make his home debut at Chase Stadium.
The substitution had an immediate impact on the match, with Rojas scoring the equalizer for Inter Miami minutes later. In the 48th minute, Messi controlled a long delivery from Busquets on the right end of the pitch before finding Rojas in the center of the pitch. The Paraguayan midfielder then took a touch to create space and leave two defenders behind before unleashing a long-distance left-footed strike to the top right corner of the goal to tie the match 1-1. The goal was Rojas’ first for the Club and first in MLS, while the assists was Messi’s team- and league-leading eighth this regular season. With the assist, Messi became just the third player all-time with a goal contribution in each of his first eight MLS games of a season.
Just two minutes later Inter Miami completed the comeback in the 50th minute. High pressure from Rojas resulted in a turnover from the Red Bulls’ defense, with Suárez then picking up the loose ball before playing a pass for Messi inside the box. The Argentine maestro then sent the ball to the back of the net with a first-time, left-footed finish to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. The goal took Messi’s team- and league-leading goal tally to 10, while the assist was the fifth for Suárez this regular season.
Inter Miami’s attacking exhibition carried on 12 minutes later, with Rojas securing his brace to extend the team’s lead to 3-1. A great sequence of passes between Messi and Rojas finished with Messi threading an inch-perfect through ball for Rojas to enter the box, where the midfielder finished the play with a beautiful chipped shot over the keeper. The goal was Rojas’ second on the night and for the Club, while the assist was Messi’s ninth this regular season.
What came next was a goal scoring masterclass from Suárez to close out the win. First, in the 69th minute, he buried a delivery from Messi from the left side of the box with a volley to the far post to make the scoreline 4-1. The goal took Suarez’s tally this regular season to eight, while Messi’s assist was his 10th this regular season. The assist saw Messi make Club history, as he became the first Inter Miami player to record 10 goals and 10 assists in an MLS regular season.
Six minutes later, Suárez struck again to extend the hosts’ lead to 5-1. A fantastic combination of passes between Messi and Suárez left the Uruguayan marksman inside the box, where he calmly finished through the keeper’s legs to score his second goal of the night in the 75h minute. The goal was Suárez’s ninth this regular season, while the assist was the 11th for Messi.
Fast forward another six minutes, and Suárez secured his first hat trick for the Club to make the scoreline 6-1 in the 81st minute. Messi once again fed a ball for Suárez inside the box for the striker to bag his third goal of the game. The goal took Suárez’s goal tally to 10 this regular season, while the assist was Messi’s fifth in the match and 12th this regular season. Messi made further MLS history with the assist, as he became first player to register five assists in a match - breaking an MLS record that was previously shared by Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson - and first to have six goal contributions in a game. In all, Messi has recorded 10 goals and 12 assists for a total of 22 goal contributions in just eight appearances this regular season.
In the seventh minute of added time, the Red Bulls scored their second goal of the match through a penalty from midfielder Emil Forsberg.
The scoreline then remained unchanged as Inter Miami secured all three points at Chase Stadium with a historic 6-2 win, keeping the team atop the Supporters’ Shield Standings.
Post-Match Reaction
"The truth is everyone had a phenomenal impact during the game but Leo [Mess] did something historic which is five assists and a goal in a league match. I can’t forget Luis [Suárez's] three goals, and the two from Matías [Rojas]...I believe that there was a question of livening up. I think that in the second half there was a fundamental moment which was the equalizer, it gave us calm and immediately the pressure for the second goal. It was fundamentally that, the fact we livened up,” said head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
Next Match
Next, Inter Miami will hit the road to visit CF Montréal at Stade Saputo for the team’s upcoming regular season fixture on Saturday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Nurses Appreciation Night presented by Baptist Health
In anticipation for National Nurses Week, which is celebrated from May 6 to 12, Inter Miami CF and Baptist Health teamed up to recognize nurses for their service, dedication to caring for others, and improving the health of patients across the South Florida community, and worldwide. Tonight, select nurses from Baptist Health joined the Club on the pitch, pre-match, for the ceremonial holding of the IMCF crest during the national anthem and player walkouts.
Additionally, the Baptist Health Community Team activated pre-match in the Baptist Health Fan Zone, with a variety of engaging activities/games, and complimentary giveaways to fans.
Stats
Possession:
MIA - 57%
NYRB - 43%
Shots:
MIA - 16
NYRB - 15
Saves:
MIA - 3
NYRB - 1
Corners:
MIA - 3
NYRB - 3
Fouls:
MIA - 8
NYRB - 11
