Lionel Messi set up one goal and had a hand in another as Inter Miami weathered a Real Salt Lake storm after the break to emerge with a 2-0 victory in the opening match of the 2024 Major League Soccer season.
Miami dominated the first half in Fort Lauderdale and broke through in the 39th minute when Messi split the defence to find Robert Taylor, whose low shot looked like it had been saved by Zac MacMath before it spun out of his arms and into the net.
Salt Lake, who had been tentative in the first half, came out energised after the break and began to turn up the heat on a Miami side which spent the off-season playing matches in Asia and the Middle East.
Miami survived the onslaught with the help of some clutch saves from goalkeeper Drake Callender and sealed the win when Messi combined with former Barcelona team mate Luis Suarez to set up Diego Gomez to make it 2-0 in the 83rd minute.
That goal led to fireworks being shot off at the newly-named Chase Stadium as the 29th MLS season kicked off with a win for Messi’s side.
“I knew I was going to face tough competition (in MLS),” Suarez said through an interpreter after his first game in the league.
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