Inter Miami didn't miss a beat without Lionel Messi, as Luis Suarez sent a clear message that he can be the main man. Javier Mascherano's squad dominated the Houston Dynamo with a resounding 4-1 win on Sunday. Despite resting at home after his exploits in the CONCACAF Champions Cup victory over Sporting KC, Messi's absence was hardly felt thanks to Suarez's masterclass performance.
The Uruguayan striker tore through the Dynamo's defense, contributing a goal and three assists. He linked up with newcomer Tellasco Segovia for two goals at the start and end of the first half, while also setting up Tadeo Allende with a deft flick-on.
Suarez wasn't done there; he blasted down the left flank and fired a shot into the net in the 37th minute. In the 79th minute, after a clever free-kick from Sergio Busquets, Suarez danced past Dynamo defenders Obafemi Awodesu and Ethan Bartlow to slot home near post, securing the victory.
Post-match, Suarez reflected on the performance: "We started really well in the first half to get 3-0 up. We will try our best, we know last year was painful to lose (in the playoffs) to Atlanta, it was so sad and this year we will do our best to win MLS."
Messi was absent after a gruelling schedule with Miami, having started three games in just seven days, including both CONCACAF Champions Cup matches against Sporting Kansas City and the MLS opener against New York City FC.
"Leo is fine, he is normal and he will train normally like all his teammates," assured Mascherano before the game.
"Look, there are not two equal situations. And we have to put everything in context. We played in a knockout round. We started the season in Kansas, where the Champions League is an important competition for us.
"We also had the start of the MLS between the two games of the series. It is one of the competitions where we aim to compete and reach the highest possible. When we talk about being able to rotate or dose the players, we must see the context. The context is that we had to play three games in six days."
The anticipation to witness Messi, often hailed as the greatest player of all time, was a significant draw for many fans attending Sunday's match. Houston released a statement ahead of the game once it was confirmed that Messi would not be playing.
"The Houston Dynamo are excited to host Inter Miami CF at Shell Energy Stadium on Sunday evening," the statement began. "The recently shared player status report for the match did not include forward Lionel Messi, but it has been reported he did not make the trip to Houston. Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent.
"We look forward to hosting everyone tomorrow for what will be an incredible atmosphere and celebration of soccer for the city of Houston. To show our appreciation, fans who attend tomorrow night's match can claim a complimentary ticket to a future Dynamo match this season. Additional details will be provided early next week."
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