Messi, Suarez lead Inter Miami past Montreal in MLS

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi each scored twice and added an assist as Inter Miami defeated CF Montreal 4-2 at home.

Inter Miami won its first nine matches, winning overall, by a score of 73-5, 26 points. Additionally, wednesday’s result ended a four-game winning streak in league play, putting them in place of sixth place in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference.

Montreal (11-5, 8 points) went down for the second time in its previous three games.

Suarez has only scored twice this season in MLS games, including Miami’s most recent victory on May 3.

In the 68th and 71st minutes, the star striker added two more points, which proved crucial for Miami as they won three crucial points against Montreal.

Messi’s brilliant play allowed Suarez to net a point-blank shot past Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois before controlling possession near the end line and drawing a defender before looping a ball to the wide-open Suarez.

Suarez ran in and intercepted a ball that fell to George Campbell in Montreal, and the Uruguayan forward fired a second shot past Sirois to give Inter Miami a 3-0 lead.

Luis Suárez #9, left, scores his second goal for Inter Miami against Montreal in the 71st minute [Megan Briggs/Getty Images via AFP]

Dante Sealy, a Montrealer, sent a ball past Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari in the 74th minute off a feed from Caden Clark, to ruin Miami’s clean sheet. Sealy scored the second time this year.

In the 87th minute, Messi fired a close-range shot into the back of the net off a precise cross from Suarez, putting an end to Montreal’s slim chances of a comeback.

Sergio Busquets dropped the ball to Messi near the box in the 27th minute, scoring the ball. Messi fired a long-range shot past Sirois from the top of the box.

On Victor Loturi’s second goal in stoppage time, which came in the second minute of the match, Sealy and Fernando Alvarez both earned assists.

Although necessary, Inter Miami’s victory cost dearly. Three starters, Jordi Alba, Gonzalo Lujan, and Tomas Aviles, all started the game in the first half due to injuries, and the squad that was already playing without midfielder Yannick Bright.