No Messi, no problem, as Suárez shines
With Lionel Messi sidelined, Luis Suárez stepped up with a vintage performance against Pumas in Fort Lauderdale.
Luis Suárez stole the show in Fort Lauderdale, stepping up in Lionel Messi’s absence to lead Inter Miami into the Leagues Cup 2025 quarterfinals.
The veteran Uruguayan striker was the undisputed star of the match against Pumas UNAM, taking center stage after the team captain was ruled out through injury. Wearing the No. 9 shirt, Suárez took charge and guided Javier Mascherano’s side past the Liga MX visitors in the final round of the tournament’s first stage.
Despite the final result favoring the Florida side, things didn’t start smoothly. In the 34th minute, Jorge Ruvalcaba opened the scoring for the Mexican team. New signing Pedro Vite – already making a strong impression – provided the assist, lofting a brilliant pass over the Miami backline for Ruvalcaba to finish.
Fortunately for the hosts, the equalizer came right before halftime. In the 45th minute, Rodrigo De Paul – making only his second appearance for Inter Miami – scored his first goal on North American soil, calmly slotting home after a pinpoint cross from Suárez found him in the box.
Suárez shines in Miami
Early in the second half, Suárez found the net and celebrated with a sombrero – only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. Moments later, he picked up a yellow card, a frustrating start to the second half.
But the former Barça man kept pushing. In the 59th minute, Suárez earned a penalty and coolly converted it with a cheeky Panenka, beating Pumas goalkeeper Miguel Paul and restoring Miami’s lead. This time, the sombrero celebration stood – and the home crowd roared.
To cap off a standout performance, Suárez turned provider once again. In the 69th minute, he set up Tadeo Allende, who had wasted a few chances earlier but made no mistake this time. The Celta de Vigo loanee sliced through the Pumas defense and fired home past the advancing keeper for Inter Miami’s third.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
- 34 Rocco Ríos Novo
- 2 Gonzalo Luján
- 37 Maximiliano Falcón
- 57 Marcelo Weigandt (45')
- 18 Alba
- 5 Busquets
- 7 De Paul (88')
- 42 Yannick Bright
- 8 Telasco Segovia (75')
- 21 Tadeo Allende (75')
- 9 Luis Suárez (82')
- Substitutes
- 17 Ian Fray (45')
- 15 Ryan Sailor
- 14 Patrice Picault (75')
- 32 Noah Allen (75')
- 55 Federico Redondo (88')
- 11 Baltasar Rodríguez
- 25 Yarbrough
- 41 David Ruíz
- 30 Benjamín Cremaschi (82')
- 6 Tomás Avilés
- 81 Santiago Morales
- 181 Miguel Paul
- 77 Álvaro Angulo (87')
- 2 Pablo Bennevendo (65')
- 6 Nathan
- 5 Rubén Duarte
- 7 Rodrigo López (45')
- 45 Pedro Vite (87')
- 17 Jorge Ruvalcaba
- 8 José Caicedo (71')
- 28 Adalberto Carrasquilla
- 9 Guillermo Martinez
- Substitutes
- 215 Angel Azuaje (87')
- 258 Emiliano Villaseñor (87')
- 35 Pablo Lara
- 13 Pablo Monroy (65')
- 26 Ángel Rico (71')
- 20 Santiago Trigos
- 256 Rodrigo Parra
- 206 Misael Torres
- 27 Piero Quispe (45')
- 15 Ulises Rivas
Substitutions
Ian Fray (45', Marcelo Weigandt), Piero Quispe (45', Rodrigo López), Pablo Monroy (65', Pablo Bennevendo), Ángel Rico (71', José Caicedo), Fafà Picault (75', Tadeo Allende), Noah Allen (75', Telasco Segovia), Benjamín Cremaschi (82', Luis Suárez), Emiliano Villaseñor (87', Pedro Vite), Angel Azuaje (87', Álvaro Angulo), Federico Redondo (88', Rodrigo De Paul)
Goals
0-1, 33': Jorge Ruvalcaba, 1-1, 44': De Paul, 2-1, 58': Luis Suárez, 3-1, 68': Tadeo Allende
Cards
Referee: Ismael Cornejo
VAR Referee: Tatiana Guzman, Tristley Bassue
Álvaro Angulo (17',Yellow), Luis Suárez (50',Yellow), Nathan (50',Yellow)