Inter Miami took care of business at Chase Stadium, beating the Seattle Sounders 3-1 and showing they’ve still got plenty left in the tank heading into the final stretch of the season. The night belonged to the usual suspects, Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, while youngster Ian Fray chipped in with the third goal. It was a game played with authority: the veterans used their experience to dictate, and a homegrown player added the finishing touch.
That result stretched Miami’s unbeaten run at home to six matches, with five wins and a draw in that spell. They now sit on 49 points, holding fifth place in the Eastern Conference and staying firmly in the hunt for a direct playoff spot. Seattle, on the other hand, remain stuck on 45 points, still fourth in the Western Conference.
Messi and Alba still look like they’re in Barcelona
The breakthrough came early, just 12 minutes in. Bright won the ball back near midfield, Messi picked it up, carried it forward, and slid it left to Alba. The Spaniard took a touch and buried a left-footed strike to make it 1-0. That was his third goal of the season, while Messi collected his 11th assist. A few minutes later Messi nearly doubled the lead, reading a pass from Busquets inside the box and clipping the outside of the post with a clever finish. Fray had two good chances himself, one a strong header at the near post that Stefan Frei had to push away.
At the 41st minute, Messi finally found the net. Once again Bright started the move, Alba timed his cross perfectly, and Messi slid in to poke it home. That made it 20 goals in 21 league matches for him, numbers that hardly need any extra commentary. The first half ended with Miami firmly on top, more efficient in the final third and sharper in front of goal.
Fray makes his mark and proves it’s not just about the stars
Early in the second half Ian Fray grabbed the spotlight. He got on the end of a De Paul corner, rose high, and headed in Miami’s third. It was his first goal of the season, and it did more than stretch the lead, it underlined how this squad benefits from the mix of youth and experience, with Messi and Alba as the anchors. Seattle pulled one back in the 69th minute through Obed Vargas, set up by Jordan Morris, but that was as far as the visitors got. Miami slowed the tempo, gave Silvetti his debut when he came on for Allende, and saw out the game without much trouble.