Luis Suarez Ends Goal Drought as Inter Miami Beat Real Salt Lake

Inter Miami CF claimed a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer on Wednesday, with late goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez securing the win in Salt Lake City. Lionel Messi played the full 90 minutes but was unable to add to his tally, marking one of his rare blanks in Miami colours.

A Late Flurry Decides the Contest

After dominating long stretches of the match without reward, Miami finally broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute. De Paul unleashed a fierce strike from a corner routine that flew into the top-right corner past goalkeeper Rafael Cabral. Within sixty seconds, Suarez doubled the advantage, reacting quickest to a header from Germán Berterame and finishing calmly with his left foot. The goal was the Uruguayan veteran’s first of the 2026 season and his 44th in 93 appearances for the club.

Messi Influential Despite Blank

Despite not finding the net, Messi remained central to Miami’s attacking play throughout the evening. The Argentine created multiple clear-cut opportunities, keeping Cabral busy, and drew huge attention from a crowd that paid an average of over $450 per ticket to watch him play. His influence on the game remained undeniable even without a goal to show for it.

The result keeps Inter Miami unbeaten in eight consecutive league matches, with the team now sitting second in the Eastern Conference on 18 points, one position behind leaders Nashville SC. Interim coach Guillermo Hoyos praised his side’s intensity and commitment, crediting the players for performing at an exceptionally high level against a disciplined Real Salt Lake outfit.