Inter Miami 4–0 D.C. United: Messi and Suárez Score Twice as Miami End Winless Run

Messi and Suárez lead Miami back to winning ways

Inter Miami returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4–0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday, 10 October. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez scored twice each, producing the kind of attacking performance Miami had been missing during a difficult run of results. The victory ended a five-match winless sequence consisting of four draws and one defeat. It was Miami's first MLS win since beating CF Montréal 7–1 on 29 August. The result also represented the first league victory for Cristian González, who took charge in September. For Miami, the significance extends beyond the four-goal margin. The team had continued creating opportunities during its winless run but struggled to turn performances into victories. Against D.C. United, the attacking partnership between Messi and Suárez provided a decisive difference.

Suárez establishes control before half-time

Suárez opened the scoring inside the first five minutes after Germán Berterame helped create the opportunity. The Uruguayan forward finished past goalkeeper Sean Johnson to give Miami an early advantage. D.C. United responded with several promising attacking moves. Tai Baribo forced Dayne St. Clair into a save, while Hosei Kijima also tested the Miami goalkeeper during the opening stages. However, Miami remained dangerous whenever its forwards found space. Suárez doubled the lead in the 39th minute after another contribution from Berterame. The second goal gave Miami a two-goal advantage at half-time and left D.C. United needing a substantial response. Instead, the home side increased its control immediately after the restart.

Messi scores twice after his Argentina farewell

Messi scored Miami's third goal in the 47th minute, finishing an opportunity created by Suárez. He added another in the 60th minute after receiving a pass from Rodrigo De Paul. The two goals took Messi to 23 in the 2026 MLS regular season, placing him at the top of the league's scoring chart at the time of the match. The performance came only four days after his final appearance for Argentina. Messi had ended his international career on 6 October, but Saturday's display demonstrated that his retirement from international football had not interrupted his contribution at club level. His second-half double also highlighted the continued understanding between him and Suárez, whose movement and passing helped create space in Miami's attack.

What the match statistics reveal

Miami finished with 16 shots, including nine on target, according to D.C. United's official match report. The visitors registered 14 attempts but placed only two on target. Miami also controlled approximately 60% of possession. Those figures show that D.C. United were not completely absent from the contest, particularly during the first half. However, Miami were considerably more effective at turning attacking opportunities into goals. Sean Johnson made five saves despite conceding four times, illustrating the pressure placed on the visitors' defence. At the opposite end, St. Clair preserved Miami's clean sheet. The combination of attacking efficiency and defensive stability produced one of Miami's most convincing recent league performances.

What changes for Inter Miami after the victory?

The result moved Miami to 49 points from 28 regular-season matches. It also provided González with a positive result after a difficult beginning to his tenure. Miami's next league fixture is against New York City FC on 14 October, leaving little time to build on Saturday's performance. For D.C. United, the defeat extended an already difficult period. The visitors have struggled to collect points consistently and must respond when they face the New York Red Bulls. From a BetLogic match-intelligence perspective, the result offers useful evidence of Miami's attacking potential. However, one convincing victory does not automatically resolve the consistency problems that produced the preceding winless sequence. The next matches will show whether Miami can turn this performance into sustained improvement.