In a Florida derby against Orlando City SC, Inter Miami delivered with a 5-0 victory on Saturday. Luis Suarez scored two goals and assisted two more, Julian Gressel had two assists and Lionel Messi had two goals of his own including a rarity, his 27th header of his career. Against an Orlando City team that boasts one of the best defenses in MLS, Miami were able to run riot scoring at will and fending off attacks from Orlando as well. For the first time in almost a year, the Herons played one game in a week and showed what they can do on standard rest. But with seven matches coming in March, rotation will still need to happen down the line.
Against the LA Galaxy last week, Miami seemed slow and off the pace but this week it was Orlando City who looked like that. Facing Nashville SC next in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Herons can make their job easier by getting out to a lead in the first leg but something will have to give as Messi, Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets can't play in every available game but when they're healthy and rested, they can slice and dice a team like what happened to Orlando City in this one.
With an xG of 3.07, Miami's route was well deserved and the midfield was much tidier in possession as when Gressel turned the ball over it was because he was trying to move the attack forward. Nicolas Freire had a tidy debut at the back as the pairing of him and Tomas Aviles is a faster pairing than Aviles and Sergii Kryvtsov showing that Miami do have the ability to put in top-class performances in them.
The issue is that in MLS it's one thing to perform when you're playing one game a week, and Miami could be vulnerable if they progress deeper into the Conacacaf Champions Cup and need to begin prioritizing competitions. MLS has the most travel commitments of any domestic league and Miami will also have matches in March without Messi due to international duty. We know that the Herons are good when they're at their best and this result proves this, but when it comes to the end of March, it will become clear just where they stand.
Inter Miami rolled to victory going ahead by two goals within only 11 minutes of play and the scoring didn't slow down after that with Suarez scoring twice and assisting two more goals and Messi scoring a brace of his own. A match to forget for Orlando in the most lopsided Florida derby in history.
Four minutes have separated Messi's goals in the matcha and it's another assist from Suarez to Messi's head for quite the rare finish. Now it's a race to see who can score a hat trick first as the duo are essentially playing school yard soccer out there.
Scoring in back to back games, that was a wild one for Lionel Messi as Suarez set up Jordi Alba who hit the post and the rebound came back to Messi who chested it into the back of the net past the Orlando defense.
Cartagena and McGuire exited at the half in favor of Lodeiro and Muiriel and Orlando's attack has looked better but now they're open at the back to be cut apart by Inter Miami.
It's another close decision as Ojeda had the ball pasty Callender but Angulo was just in an offside position. The Herons will want to take note of that warning as Orlando is coming out to play for the second half.
Orlando City hasn't had any answers so far in the match allowing Miami to do what they want. Luis Suarez has two goals and an assist but also Julian Gressel has a brace of assists and two players who left much to be desired in Miami's last match against the Galaxy have stepped up in a big way in this rivalry match. Orlando will need to change things around in the second half to avoid an embarrassing score.
Again, Orlando City are offering no resistance as Inter Miami have the ball in the back of the net again via Suarez. Narrowly flagged for offside, the goal won't count but that was another close call for Orlando.
Messi had a free kick from range and it had Gallese beaten but rattled off the post to deny Messi from scoring in back to back games. With how Miami are moving down the pitch early on, there will be plenty more chances to grab a goal.
This one may be over in just the first half of play. Instead of going for his hat trick, Luis Suarez played the ball into Robert Taylor who basically rolled it into an open net and the Herons are off to the races making a statement in only 29 minutes of play.
While few things are more demoralizing to a team than conceding twice within the first 11 minutes of the match, Orlando City can take some comfort in how early it is. The Lions have been able to create chances of their own but finishing hasn't been good enough to start off play. If Orlando can minimize their mistakes, there will be a chance.
It has been 11 minutes and Suarez already has a brace. Playing one game in a week for the first time this season, Inter Miami are already running up the score on their in state rivals.
Suarez starts things off as Julian Gressel finds him in behind and Miami are ahead 1-0 after less than five minutes. It was a poor pass from Orlando in their defensive third and Miami made them pay. After an assist in Miami's first match, this is Suarez's first goal for the club.
Robert Taylor was in behind early but Orlando City were well positioned to stop him. An excellent stop from Thorhallsson.
It's rivalry match time!
In a hard-fought rivalry match, there will be more cards than goals and likely more cards than shots on target in this one. Pick: Inter Miami 1, Orlando City 1
One of the best defenses in MLS, Orlando will be well positioned to deal with Miami's talented attack but it will be up to Duncan McGuire to find his way through the Herons' defense. While McGuire was almost sold to Blackburn Rovers during the winter transfer window, strong performances in games like this one will only increase demand in his services during the summer.
The Herons may have escaped their first two games without a defeat but they haven't looked convincing while doing it. Suarez has a noticeable limp when moving around the pitch, Sergio Busquets' passing has been wayward and Julian Gressel is struggling to keep up with being in a midfield three but when a team has Messi, they can collect points despite the odds. With a goal and an assist so far this season, Messi is living up to my prediction that he'll net a goal contribution per game but as Miami will enter Champions Cup play on March 7, rotation will need to come sooner than later. While facing in state rivals may not be the time to do it, Miami's supporting cast will need to step up soon.
Lodeiro will begin the match on the bench
Starters: Gallese, Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Rafael Santos, Torres, Araujo, Cartagena, Angulo, Ojeda, McGuire
Reserves: Stajduhar, Brekalo, Enrique, Filipe, Halliday, Lodeiro, Kocevski, Muriel, Smith
There's a change in defense as Kryvtsov drops to the bench and Freire starts alongside Aviles. The back line has been shaky this season for Inter Miami, so this will be an interesting change to watch.
Starters: Callender, Alba, Freire, Aviles, Yedlin, Gomez, Busquets, Gressel, Suarez, Messi, Taylor
Reserves: Dos Santos, Mota, Campana, Sailor, Kryvtsov, Allen, Ruiz, Sunderland, Borgelin
What a week it has been, while neither team will be participating in the U.S. Open Cup due to their Concacaf Champions Cup duties, it is now the third game that Miami will have played this season while Orlando will be playing in their forth competitive match. There will still be plenty of fire in this rivalry match but with both playing midweek, it's a time to watch out for tired legs.
