Luis Suarez scored twice in the second half to help Inter Miami overcome the absence of star Lionel Messi in a 3-1 victory over D.C. United on Saturday afternoon in Washington.
Leonardo Campana collected a goal and an assist and Drake Callender turned aside five shots for Inter Miami (3-1-1, 10 points), who played their second straight MLS match without Messi. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner sat out last weekend’s 3-2 loss to CF Montreal for rest purposes before sustaining a glute injury during Miami’s 3-1 victory over Nashville SC on Wednesday in a CONCACAF Champions Cup match.
Jared Stroud scored in the 14th minute and Alex Bono made four saves for D.C. United (1-1-2, 5 points).
D.C. United were denied from close range at one end before Inter Miami went on the attack, capped by Campana feeding Suarez for a conversion from in close to give their side a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute.
Suarez provided insurance just 13 minutes later after lofting a ball that deflected off Bono’s fingertips before settling just over the goal line. The goal was his fourth of the season in MLS action and sixth in his last five competitions overall.
D.C. United benefited from crisp passing to open the scoring in the 14th minute. Stroud, who was stationed between Miami’s Noah Allen and Nicolas Freire, got in behind the duo and unleashed a blast that sailed past Callender for his first goal of the season.
Campana answered 10 minutes later after initially being denied from close range on a header. The Ecuadorean striker benefited from defender Federico Redondo keeping the ball in play while on his back before providing a proper finish with a left-footed shot from the center of the box. The goal was Campana’s second in as many MLS matches.
–Field Level Media