Messi, Suárez Lead Inter Miami Back to Dominance: 3 Takeaways From Win vs. New York Red Bulls | OneFootball

Inter Miami CF might not have the Concacaf Champions Cup to fight for anymore, but they bounced back to their winning ways on Saturday night, capturing a 4–1 win over the New York Red Bulls on Matchday 11 of the 2025 MLS season.

Fafa Picault opened the scoring for the Herons in the 9th minute, before Marcelo Weigandt and Luis Suárez extended the lead to 3-0 with goals in the 33rd and 39th minutes.

The Red Bulls pulled a goal back through Mohammed Sofo in the 43rd minute, before Lionel Messi gave Miami an extra cushion in the 67th to make it 4–1 and snap his three-match goalless streak.

With the win, head coach Javier Mascherano dispelled doubts about his roster’s poor form. He snapped a three-match losing streak in all competitions and refocused his team’s priorities on the remainder of the regular season and the upcoming Leagues Cup.

While Miami may not be atop the Eastern Conference yet, here’s what we can take away from Saturday’s victory.

Back to Winning Ways

Luis Suárez (left) was one of Inter Miami CF's key players against the New York Red Bulls / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Simply put, this Inter Miami team needed some good news. Securing three points was critical in this weekend's game after a lackluster performance against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Champions Cup and surrendering a 3–1 lead to lose 4–3 to FC Dallas on Matchday 10.

The standard surrounding Inter Miami will always be incredibly high, and for much of the last week, focus has been on the entire club project, which is defined by Messi’s presence.

With slight tweaks in his lineup, Mascherano proved he can learn and develop in his first club head coaching role, dispelling the growing concerns that he is not experienced enough to handle such a responsibility.

Miami also approached this game with less focus on maintaining possession throughout the match. Instead, they ebbed and flowed with the state of the game, making the most of their chances and attacking in various ways, which allowed the superstars to thrive without relying on them.

Inter Miami needed exactly this. Mission accomplished.

Fafa Picault and Yannick Bright bring the energy

Fafa Picault netted the opening goal on Saturday against the New York Red Bulls / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Haiti international and MLS veteran Fafa Picault continued to prove his worth to the Herons' lineup on Saturday.

Not only did he score the opening goal with a deft finish, but he continued to threaten New York’s backline with his pace and agility.

Through 73 minutes, the 34-year-old had a goal, five touches in the opposition box, two successful dribbles, and eight defensive actions, further showcasing himself as a key piece to any success Miami can hope for this season.

At the same time, Mascherano opted to start Yannick Bright alongside Sergio Busquets in midfield, rather than the double-pivot of Busquets and Federico Redondo, which he has frequented to.

Bright’s mobility allowed Busquets to be more creative on the ball and act as the lynchpin with freedom, giving him time and space to open up opportunities for Messi to take over and lead attacks.

While the two changes proved fruitful, Mascherano is the biggest winner. Now, he has shown he can adapt to his team’s best players, even if they may not be the ones he has preferred throughout the season.

The Superstars Delivered

Lionel Messi was back to his usual brilliance against the New York Red Bulls / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As much as Mascherano finding his valuable secondary players will make Miami a contending team again, their superstars are the project's defining features and will ultimately decide how far the Herons can go.

Despite recent struggles, Messi and Suárez returned to their peak form on Saturday, while Busquets seemed to be enjoying his play again. For Messi, who had previously never failed to score in three straight games for Miami, getting back into a good rhythm was extra important.

Throughout the 90 minutes, the Argentine captain had his flashy moments, including four successful dribbles, five shots, 66 touches, and completing four of four attempted long balls. He was wistful and brilliant, just like he has been so many times over the last twenty years.

Suárez, meanwhile, thrived in his adapted style through 58 minutes, putting himself in positions to succeed and limiting the running he needed to do. He finished the night with a goal, two accurate long balls and three passes into the final third.

With all the noise surrounding Miami’s roster build and the status of their aging star players, Saturday’s win against New York proved that they will be just fine.