In an embarrassing turn of events, Orlando City suffered a 5-0 loss to Inter Miami at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The Lions conceded two disappointingly easy goals in the first 11 minutes and another before halftime.
Luis Suarez capitalized on defensive miscues, securing his first two goals in the MLS and providing an assist in the first half, followed by another assist later. Lionel Messi also chipped in with a brace, and Robert Taylor added another goal.
Miami got off to a strong start
Despite generating a few scoring chances, Orlando struggled to find the target while the game was still in contention. The loss left Orlando City with a 5-4-3 league record against their southern rivals.
Remarkably, it was the first time the Lions failed to score in Fort Lauderdale, and this season marks the first instance in club history that Orlando City has failed to find the net in the first two regular season games.
Pareja chose Pedro Gallese in goal, backed by Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in defense.
Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena maintained their usual positions in midfield, orchestrating plays for an attacking trio of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire leading the charge.
The hosts quickly took control, with Orlando City unintentionally contributing to the Herons' opening goal.
Araujo's ill-advised back pass proved costly, resulting in a loss of possession.
The ball fell to Julian Gressel, who in turn found Suarez. The former Barcelona striker fired accurately into the corner, out of Gallese's reach, securing a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.
Orlando had chances to respond immediately, the first being in the seventh minute when Thorhallsson fed McGuire.
However, the striker, unable to place his feet correctly, sent the ball wide of the target from just eight yards out. A minute later, Araujo attempted a long-range shot, narrowly grazing the top left corner.
Unfortunately for the Lions, these missed opportunities proved costly. Miami capitalized on a fortunate rebound of Cartagena's tackle attempt.
Suarez took advantage of a routine pass, with Araujo unable to follow up, and Schlegel's aggressive movement left him out of position. Suarez exploited the space, beating Gallese to extend the lead to 2-0 in the 11th minute.
Home victory 🏠😍 #MIAvORL pic.twitter.com/h2LzvHJjpl
- Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 3, 2024
Orlando Attempt to Resist
After the initial setbacks, Orlando City gradually regained its composure, although the initial damage had already been done. Despite earning a couple of corner kicks, including one in which Schlegel's header took a deflection, the Lions were unable to convert their chances.
Exploiting defensive vulnerabilities, Miami secured an uncomplicated third goal in the 29th minute. Schlegel's hesitation to go forward and trigger an offside trap allowed the leaked pass to find Suarez behind the defensive line.
Although Gallese tried to disrupt the play by coming off his line, Suarez unselfishly passed it to Taylor for an easy strike into the empty net. Again, Schlegel found himself out of position during a Miami counterattack, providing the opportunity for Jordi Alba to exploit the space and shoot.
Although Jansson managed to clear the ball off the line, his attempt only redirected it against the post. In the ensuing pinball sequence, Messi had the final touch and the ball slid in to extend the lead to 4-0 in the 57th minute.
Just four minutes later, Suarez raced down the left flank, delivering a well-placed cross for Messi's precise header.
In the 76th minute, the Lions had a golden opportunity to score when Ramiro Enrique broke through the defense. However, the Argentine's shot ended up too close to center, making it easy for Callender to make a crucial save and prevent the goal.
