FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi had a goal and an assist, Fafà Picault scored a goal for the second consecutive game and Inter Miami beat the New York Red Bulls 4-1 on Saturday night.
Inter Miami (6-1-3) rebounded from a 4-3 loss to Dallas that snapped its eight-game unbeaten streak to open the season.
Messi capped the scoring in the 67th minute. After four consecutive to or from Messi and Telasco Segovia, Messi used his right hip to hold off defender Noah Eile and then calmly slammed home a left-footer from the center of the area.
Picault scored to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. After two failed clearances by the Red Bulls, Marcelo Weigandt played an arcing ball-in from the right side that was redirected near post when Luis Suárez flicked a headed to the back post and Picault put away a half-volley.
Weigandt scored in the 30th and Luis Suárez added a goal — his first since March 2 — in the 39th minute to give Miami a 3-0 lead.
Mohammed Sofo put away a corner kick for the Red Bulls (4-4-3) played in by Omar Valencia — going up high at the back post and somehow heading it back inside the front post — to make it 3-1 in the 43rd.
Weigandt, from point-blank range, tapped in the putback of his own shot to make it 2-0 in the 30th.
Suárez put away his own rebound to give Miami a 3-0 lead. Tadeo Allende rolled a cross to Suárez for a one-touch shot from center of the area that was blocked by defender Kyle Duncan, but Suárez was there for the finish for the left corner of the 6-yard box.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and veteran NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (currently a free agent) were in attendance.
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The Associated Press
