It was a crucial night for Inter Miami as they desperately sought three points. With morale at a low following their humiliating exit from the CONCACAF Champions Cup midweek, where Brandon Vazquez’s CF Monterrey dealt them a devastating ƅlоw, the Herons found themselves in a diгe situation. Enduring a winless streak of five consecutive matches, they appeared to be lacking direction.

Facing the challenge away from home, amidst a crowd of over 70,000 spectators at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Inter Miami managed to secure the victory – somehow, someway. Lionel Messi, making his first start in MLS since March 2, displayed determination from the outset. With a goal and an assist, he spearheaded the Herons to their first league win in almost a month. Although the journey was far from smooth, several standout players emerged to ensure the job was done.

In a familiar sequence of events, the match began with a defensive lapse from Miami, as a costly giveaway and a failed attempt to draw a foul left the Herons vulnerable, allowing Sporting KC’s Erik Thommy to seize an early lead just six minutes into the game. However, Miami showed resilience and quickly bounced back, spearheaded by none other than Messi. The Argentine maestro delivered a remarkable assist to David Ruiz in the 18th minute, leveling the score as the teams headed into halftime deadlocked.

Messi continued to shine in the second half, netting an extraordinary goal from 23 yards out just six minutes after the break. Yet, Thommy mirrored Messi’s brilliance on Saturday, equalizing for Sporting KC in the 58th minute with a stunning volley off the post. However, the decisive moment for the Herons came courtesy of Luis Suarez, who notched his sixth MLS goal of the season by tapping in a cross from Diego Gomez near the corner flag.

Despite defensive vulnerabilities exposed twice during the game, Miami’s star players, including Messi, Suarez, and Gomez, rose to the occasion, securing a crucial victory that may stand as their most significant of the season thus far. While defensive concerns persist, exacerbated by a late ιnjᴜry to Jordi Alba, tonight serves as a moment of celebration for Tata Martino’s squad, marking a hard-fought triumph.