Inter Miami put on a remarkable show against Orlando City in their third MLS fixture. The Herons successfully bounced back from their previous week’s draw against the LA Galaxy by clinching a 5-0 victory this time. While fans continue to celebrate the win, Lionel Messi, on the other hand, asserts to be ‘happy‘ with his best friend Luis Suarez ending his goal drought with an emphatic brace.
La Pulga also didn’t fall short of impressing, as he also scored a brace in the latter half. However, El Pistolero successfully stole the spotlight. The post-match interview saw the Argentinian superstar heap praise on the former Gremio man. He said, “The truth is that I am very happy. We know who Suarez is, and what he can do, and I think everyone knows that, right?” It seems Messi is impressed with his amigo finally breaking the deadlock. After all, his numbers today can’t lie.
“Estamos bien, estamos disfrutando, estamos creciendo. Hoy era un partido importante para ganar par seguir en ese camino de crecimiento y la verdad que esto nos tiene que hacer muy fuertes para todo lo que se viene.” – Leo Messi pic.twitter.com/gi3pZbXDGW
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 3, 2024
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Notably, aside from scoring two goals that were set up by midfielder Julian Gressel, Suarez also delivered two assists. The 37-year-old center-forward had a clear chance to score a hattrick, but an unselfish decision saw him set up the first-half strike of Robert Taylor and later help Messi score his second. To avoid the risk of injury, Tata Martino didn’t hesitate for a second to substitute Suarez in the 67th minute. Interestingly, Suarez also unexpectedly engaged in an altercation with Orlando members after the first half ended.
However, shifting focus back, it was a performance that all Inter Miami fans had been waiting for. But not all praise should be directed solely at Suarez; Messi himself reached significant milestones with today’s brace.
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Lionel Messi does it again as he achieves significant feats
With this momentous victory, Lionel Messi surpassed his longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. CR7 had previously scored his 715th non-penalty goal against Al Feiha in the AFC Champions League, momentarily surpassing La Pulga in this regard. However, the Florida Derby saw Messi reclaim his position at the top. With his 716 non-penalty goals against Ronaldo’s 715, Messi once again took the lead. That’s not all!
Messi’s goal in the 62nd minute marked his 500th league goal, a historic achievement in his career. He did it faster than Cristiano Ronaldo! Likewise, for Inter Miami, today’s win solidified their position at the top of the Eastern Conference table with 7 points, three points ahead of the second-placed Columbus Crew. Overall, it was a good day at the office for Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.
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READ MORE: Commissioner Don Garber Explains Why Lionel Messi Leaving MLS Won’t Affect the League Big Time