Inter Miami Crushes DC United 4-0 Behind Messi and Suarez

Inter Miami secured a commanding 4-0 victory over DC United at Nu Stadium in Miami, Florida, on October 10, 2026, in a Major League Soccer match. Luis Suarez scored twice before Lionel Messi added two second-half goals, giving the hosts a convincing result as they pursued a higher position in the Eastern Conference standings. According to VAVEL's live match coverage, Suarez opened the scoring with a close-range finish following a well-constructed team attack.

The Uruguayan striker then doubled Inter Miami's lead after goalkeeper Sean Johnson parried a powerful effort from Messi, allowing Suarez to convert the rebound. Inter Miami entered halftime with a 2-0 advantage after controlling much of the first half. DC United attempted to respond after conceding the opening goal, but an angled effort narrowly missed the target, leaving the visitors unable to reduce the deficit before the break.

Messi extended the lead immediately after the restart, capitalizing on a defensive mistake to make it 3-0. The Argentine forward subsequently scored his second goal of the match with a long-range shot that found the bottom corner, completing Inter Miami's four-goal performance, according to VAVEL.

The two-goal contribution from Messi brought his official career tally to 934 goals, according to VAVEL's match report. The 39-year-old also came close to completing a hat trick after combining with Rodrigo De Paul, but his subsequent attempt drifted wide. Johnson remained a key figure for DC United despite the defeat, making several important saves to prevent the visitors from conceding additional goals. Inter Miami eased their attacking pressure as the match progressed toward the final whistle, with five minutes of stoppage time added by the referee.

Before the match, Yahoo Sports reported that Inter Miami had collected 46 points from 27 matches, with 12 wins, 10 draws, and five losses. The team occupied fourth place in the Eastern Conference, level on points with Chicago Fire and New England Revolution, while Nashville led the standings with 60 points from 27 matches. DC United entered the fixture in 12th place with 30 points from 26 matches, recording six wins, 12 draws, and eight losses. Yahoo Sports reported that the team was pursuing a wild-card position for the upcoming playoffs, while Inter Miami aimed to improve its conference standing.

Inter Miami had recorded one win, three draws, and one loss in their previous five matches before facing DC United. Their most recent league outing had ended in a 1-2 defeat to Columbus Crew on September 27, following a 2-2 draw against San Diego FC on September 20. The team had also defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 in the Campeones Cup.

DC United also had one win in their previous five matches, alongside two draws and two defeats. Their latest outing before the Miami fixture was a 0-1 loss to Paderborn in a friendly at Audi Field on September 30, according to Yahoo Sports. Yahoo Sports had identified several potential absences for Inter Miami ahead of the match, including Ian Fray, Mateo Silvetti, Tadeo Allende, and Israel Boatwright, who were dealing with injuries.

Santiago Morales was suspended, while Messi was expected to start after his latest international appearance for Argentina against Benin, alongside Suarez in attack.