Messi and Suarez combine for all four goals as Inter Miami rout D.C. United 4-0

Two minutes in, Nu Stadium was already celebrating: Luis Suarez curled a left-footed finish into the top corner for the 1-0, kicking off a rout in which Inter Miami CF put four past D.C. United, with Suarez and Lionel Messi splitting the goals in this MLS clash.

The match was, in essence, a showcase for the South American duo. Suarez opened the scoring in a flash off an assist from German Berterame, and before the first half hour was up Inter Miami was already dominating with authority, though the second goal didn't arrive until the 38th minute: Suarez again, this time from close range with a low finish, after a headed flick from Berterame. That 2-0 scoreline held until halftime.

Anyone expecting the second half to slow down was mistaken. Right out of the gate, in the 46th minute, Messi showed up in the box to make it 3-0 with a left-footed shot that found the far post, set up by Suarez. The home side wasn't done there: in the 59th minute, Messi finished the same way again, this time off a pass from Rodrigo De Paul, to seal the final 4-0.

How the gap was built

Inter Miami CF's dominance wasn't limited to the scoreline. Possession finished 61.7% to 38.3% in their favor, and the gap showed up even more clearly in shots on target: 9 to 2 for D.C. United. Cristian Gonzalez's side also produced five big chances, while the visitors didn't register a single one.

The total shot count was closer than the scoreline suggests, 17 to 15, but the difference came down to accuracy: D.C. United put up volume without ever really troubling Inter Miami, something borne out by our expected goals estimate for the match, with 3.49 xG for Inter Miami CF against just 0.85 for D.C. United. That figure is calculated from the shots actually taken, not a prediction, but it makes clear the gap in chance quality between the two sides.

D.C. United had their moments, especially early on through Kimito Nono and Hosei Kijima testing Sean Johnson, and later with Tai Baribo and Peglow looking for space, but they never managed to turn those flashes into a goal. The second-half substitutions of Nathan Ordaz and Matti Peltola didn't change the script either.

What the preview said versus what happened

The preview published ahead of the match gave Inter Miami CF a 71% chance of winning, against 17% for a draw and 12% for a D.C. United victory, with expected goals of 2.91 to 1.22 in the home side's favor. The result didn't just confirm that favoritism, it blew past it: the home team ended up scoring four goals, well above the projection, while D.C. United was shut out despite the pre-match expectation of more than one expected goal.

What the result means

With this result, Inter Miami CF holds onto second place in the Eastern Conference, with 49 points from 28 matches played (13 wins, 10 draws and 5 losses), 19 points clear of D.C. United, who sit 12th with 30 points from 27 matches (6 wins, 12 draws and 9 losses). For Cristian Gonzalez's side, the night will be remembered as an offensive showcase with Suarez and Messi as the undisputed stars; for D.C. United, it was a trip to forget, one in which they never found a way to slow down their opponent.