How Did Late Goals from Messi and Suarez Secure Inter Miami's 3-1 Victory over LA Galaxy?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Inter Miami secured a thrilling 3-1 victory against LA Galaxy.
- Messi and Suarez scored late goals to clinch the win.
- The match marked Miami's first-ever win over the reigning MLS champions.
- Jordi Alba opened the scoring for Inter Miami.
- Messi reached 40 career goals in MLS in just 44 matches.
Fort Lauderdale (USA), Aug 17 (NationPress) Late goals from captain Lionel Messi and forward Luis Suarez propelled Inter Miami CF to a spectacular 3-1 triumph at Chase Stadium against the LA Galaxy.
Defender Jordi Alba initiated the scoring before the late contributions from Messi and Suarez secured the team's first-ever win against the reigning MLS Cup champions.
Inter Miami commenced the match by applying significant pressure on the visitors with several intricate combinations involving Picault, Allende, Suárez, and Segovia. Segovia nearly opened the scoring following a brilliant team play, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call.
Just before halftime, a perfectly timed ball from Busquets found Alba, who sliced through the Galaxy defense. The defender skillfully placed the ball into the bottom corner, giving Inter Miami a 1-0 lead at the break.
The second half featured the entry of the Argentine duo Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
The Galaxy equalized in the 59th minute with a goal from Joseph Paintsil.
Inter Miami kept creating opportunities in the second half. In the 84th minute, de Paul found an unmarked Messi just outside the box; Messi expertly maneuvered past a defender and fired a precise left-footed shot to regain the lead.
This goal made Messi the second-fastest player in MLS history to reach 40 career goals, achieving this feat in just 44 matches, following Josef Martínez who did it in 42.
Suarez sealed the game in the 89th minute with a close-range finish after an incredible backheel assist from Messi, finalizing the score at 3-1.
With this goal, Suarez increased his season tally to 6, while Messi recorded his 10th assist in MLS play for 2025.