Inter Miami put their disappointing preseason tour of Asia behind them with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake in their MLS regular season opener on Wednesday. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez each provided an assist on the night. Suárez limped and struggled for 90 minutes in his MLS debut.
All eyes will be on Inter Miami this season, with MLS Cup expectations or failure the only measure of the Fort Lauderdale-based club's success. With Messi now fully fit after an adductor injury that limited him in pre-season, Inter Miami were the attackers in the first half. They dominated possession as the timid Real Salt Lake team sat deeper and deeper in their own half. After several chances were squandered, including a great free kick from Messi that was cleared off the line, Inter Miami finally found the net in the 39th minute.
Messi drove past the RSL defensive line and found Robert Taylor's diagonal run. The Finnish international's shot went past RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath, who should have done better. The soft-spoken Taylor had a breakout career in MLS last season. He scored eight goals for Inter Miami last season, with his four goals in five Leagues Cup games in the summer being particularly notable. The second half was much more even. Inter Miami conceded possession and looked exhausted, allowing RSL to create more chances and threaten the home team's weak defense.
Brayan Vera's header almost overwhelmed Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender in the 72nd minute, but the American international kept the visitors off the scoresheet with a fingertip save. Inter Miami had almost nothing left in the tank with more than 10 minutes left in the game. Messi wasn't the only Inter Miami player in midfield. With the bench incredibly thin due to multiple injuries, Miami had to hold on for dear life as RSL's pressure continued in search of the equalizer.
Just as Inter Miami was struggling to breathe, Messi broke free on a counterattack and ran into former Barcelona teammate Suárez. The Uruguayan's first pass near the RSL penalty area freed 20-year-old Paraguayan Diego Gomez, whose finish sealed the win for Miami.
Inter Miami will next travel to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy on Sunday night.
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(Photo: Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)