Inter Miami looked good against DC United, but still has a lot to prove

One win does not a streak make, but it's a start

Inter Miami's performance after a two-week layoff went just about as well as Herons fans could hope. Lionel Messi, in his first club match after saying farewell to La Albiceleste last week, scored twice and Luis Suárez, El Pistolero, added two goals and an assist Saturday to lead Las Garzas to a 4-0 shutout victory against DC United.

The win snapped a three-game winless streak and was just the Herons' third win in 13 matches. Disappointing DP Germán Berterame assisted both of Suárez' scores, his first goal contributions since July, and he took his only shot with confidence and narrowly missed slipping the ball inside the right post. David Ayala started for the injured Yannick Bright in the defensive midfield and played perhaps his best all-around match for Inter Miami, and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was assertive and confident in goal, continuing the improvement we've seen since returning from the World Cup in July. The center back pairing of Brazilians Casemiro and Micael looked solid, and the Herons made it through the match without injury.

WHAT: Inter Miami vs. DC United
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14
WHERE: Nu Stadium, Miami

The Herons played together for the first time since a heart-breaking 1-2 loss at Columbus on Sept. 29 when Miami keeper Rocco Ríos Novo spilled a save in front of goal in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time and Jamal Thiaré booted it into the Herons' goal.

Unfortunately, the Columbus loss is more representative of Inter Miami's 2026 season than the DC United win. But that match against the Crew was just new coach Kily González' third in charge of the Herons; the two-week break for FIFA's international window gave González his first opportunity to really spend time with his new players, and initial results are promising.

The new skipper deployed Las Garzas in a 4-3-3 formation after showing a preference for a 5-man backline in previous outings. Without injured defensive starter Ian Fray available, González started Gonzalo Luján at right wingback and Sergio Reguilón on the left, with Casemiro and Micael as the center backs. Rodrigo De Paul and newcomer Matías Galarza played on either side of Ayala in midfield, with Suárez playing center forward and Messi and Berterame on the wings.

Inter Miami (13-5-10, 49 points), which reclaimed second place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference with the win over DC (6-9-12, 30 pts.), scored in the third minute and controlled the match throughout. Fray, Maxi Falcón and Telasco Segovia, all key contributors recovering from various injuries, saw time in the second half, another promising sign for the Herons' postseason push.

But the Herons' potential quality never has been in doubt; what we need to see now is consistency. Remember, Las Garzas' performances last summer raised questions about their title hopes, but an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Seattle in the Leagues Cup championship and the subsequent benching of Suárez in favor of Mateo Silvetti propelled the Herons to a record-setting postseason run.
Hopefully, the international break will be the switch-flipping catalyst that brings out the best in this year's side.

The Herons host New York City FC (8-11-9, 33 points) at 6:30 CDT Wednesday.

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