Uruguayan striker comes on to score twice in 3-1 MLS win over DC United

Luis Suarez scores past DC United goalkeeper Alexander Bono during the second half of the MLS match. AP

Inter Miami striker Shanyder Borgelin gets a boot to the face from DC United wing back Pedro Santos. AP

Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gomez, right, and striker Luis Suarez celebrate a goal. AP

DC United defender Aaron Herrera attempts a slide tackle on Inter Miami full-back Jordi Alba. USA Today

A fan wearing a Lionel Messi jersey watches the match at Audi Field. AP

DC United striker Christian Benteke watches as Inter Miami celebrate a goal during the first half. AP

Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gomez competes for the ball with DC United midfielder Mateusz Klich. AP

Luis Suarez and Diego Gomez react to a goal scored by Suarez during the first half. AP

Sergio Busquets and Christian Benteke during the MLS match between Inter Miami and DC United. AFP

Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino praised Luis Suarez for “defining the game” after the Uruguayan striker came off the bench to score twice in a 3-1 win over DC United in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

Miami had failed to win their last seven games without Lionel Messi, a run dating to September, and the Argentine talisman was absent again for the game at Audi Field. But despite that record, Martino left Suarez and Jordi Alba on the bench.

Jared Stroud put for DC United ahead, latching onto a Mateusz Kilch pass and firing a first-time shot past Drake Callender.

The lead lasted only for 10 minutes, though, with Leonardo Campana, leading the Miami attack in place of Suarez, seeing a header saved by Alex Bono but then, after DC failed to clear, turning in after the ball was scooped to him by Federico Redondo.

Sergio Busquets delivered a superb cross-field pass to set Robert Taylor in down the left but his low drive clipped the outside of the post on the stroke of half-time.

Suarez was brought on in the 62nd minute and the 37-year-old forward was to settle the contest. Just 10 minutes after coming on, Suarez finished off a fine move, turning in a low cross from Campana at the back post.

Then Diego Gomez, Miami’s powerful Paraguayan midfielder, won the ball in the centre of the pitch and broke forward, finding Suarez, whose route to goal was initially blocked. But he was able to find space for a chip that Bono clawed at but was unable to stop crossing the line.

United then had Pedro Santos sent off after he brought down substitute Shanyder Borgelin in the final minute.

Martino said Suarez’s performance had gone perfectly according to his plan.

“We had talked about him having half an hour and he defined the game,” said the Argentine coach. “One of the coach’s tasks, with these players, is to convince them when to stop, when to allow themselves a break and not risk injury.

“I try to get them to make a contribution not only when they play 90 minutes but less, and boy, did he do that today.”

Martino said Messi’s leg injury was being dealt with “week to week” and he refused to be drawn on his potential involvement in Argentina’s upcoming friendlies.

“It is clear that with him there is an objective that he can play in the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Champions Cup. We’re not going to take any risks,” he said.

Miami will play Mexican club Monterrey in the regional competition on April 3.

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Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi races ahead of Nashville SC midfielder Anibal Godoy during the first half of a CONCACAF Champions Cup soccer match Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Lionel Messi had a goal and an assist in his return to Inter Miami’s lineup Wednesday night, leading the way in a 3-1 win over Nashville in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 matchup.

Messi found his former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suárez , in stride for a goal that opened scoring in the eighth minute. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner then added a first-half goal to give Inter Miami an early 2-0 lead.

Inter Miami vs Nashville SC, CONCACAF Champions Cup: Final score and highlights from Round of 16 second leg

The Argentine superstar checked out of the match in the 50th minute. It wasn’t immediately clear why Messi subbed out — he had rested in Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Montreal, which is the only game he has missed this season.

Messi was replaced by Robert Taylor, who scored in the 63rd minute to give Inter Miami a 3-0 lead.

Inter Miami advanced to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals with the win and 5-3 advantage in aggregate goals in the total-goals series.

The teams had tied in the first leg in Nashville last Thursday. Messi scored in regulation, and Suárez scored the tying goal in stoppage time to rally Miami to a 2-2 draw. Messi went down late in regulation of that game when Nashville defender Lukas Macnaughton stepped on his left calf. A trainer checked on Messi, who remained on the pitch.

He had been listed as questionable with a shin injury entering Sunday’s game against Montreal, but head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said after that match that the plan was always to rest Messi for that game.

The rest seemed to bode well for Messi’s performance Wednesday, as he wasted no time making an impact.

He earned a free kick after a foul by Nashville’s Aníbal Godoy just four minutes into the match, but had his attempt blocked. The 36-year-old seized his opportunity a few minutes later, using his impressive vision to fit a pass to a streaking Suárez, who sent the ball into bottom right corner of the net.

Messi then used a pass from Diego Gómez to score from inside the penalty area as fans started chanting his name. Taylor later got on the board with a header off an assist by Suárez.

Nashville had a chance late in the second half when Hany Mukhtar got past Miami’s defense and sent a shot into the back of the net. Officials overturned the goal after a lengthy review, ruling that Mukhtar was offside.

Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender, coming off a disappointing performance against Montreal, had two saves before giving up a goal to Sam Surridge in stoppage time.

Wednesday was the fourth time that head coach Gary Smith’s Nashville club has faced Messi since he joined Inter Miami and MLS last summer.

They’d played to three draws before Wednesday — the first of which Miami won 10-9 on penalty kicks in the 2023 Leagues Cup final. Messi scored early in regulation and converted the first shot in penalty kicks as Miami won its first trophy.

“It’s a never-ending conundrum,” Smith said ahead of Wednesday’s match. “You try and set up a group to try and limit what he’s able to do. He’s proved throughout his career at the very best levels that no matter how good you are defensively, or how well-organized, the caliber of the individual will always find a way.”

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The Five Elders in their human forms in One Piece.

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