Inter Miami CF left it late, but when the breakthrough finally arrived, it came in devastating fashion.
After more than 80 minutes of resistance from Real Salt Lake, Miami found the decisive edge through Rodrigo De Paul in the 82nd minute before Luis Suárez doubled the lead in the 83rd minute, sealing a 2-0 Major League Soccer victory on Wednesday night at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.
For long stretches, this fixture felt finely balanced. The first half finished 0-0, with both sides battling for control in midfield and neither able to produce the final bit of quality in the attacking third. Real Salt Lake stayed compact and disciplined, while Inter Miami saw plenty of the ball and looked the more dangerous side without yet finding a way through.
The match grew increasingly scrappy at times, reflected by a string of bookings. Noah Allen went into the referee’s book for Miami in the 42nd minute, while DeAndre Yedlin picked up a yellow card for Real Salt Lake in the 43rd minute. Stijn Spierings was then cautioned in first-half stoppage time at 45+4, and the intensity continued after the interval as Diego Luna and Micael were both booked in the 58th minute, followed by Telasco Segovia in the 65th.
Still, despite the physical edge, the contest remained alive entering the final 10 minutes. Real Salt Lake had moments of their own and finished with 11 total shots, putting four on target, but Inter Miami consistently looked the more threatening side. Miami ended the night with 19 shots, seven on target, and a slight edge in possession at 50.7 percent.
That pressure finally told in the 82nd minute. Rodrigo De Paul broke the deadlock with a stunning finish to put Inter Miami ahead 1-0, a moment of quality that shifted the entire mood of the night. Before Real Salt Lake could regroup, Miami struck again just one minute later when Luis Suárez found the net in the 83rd minute, capping a ruthless spell with another spectacular goal.
In the space of barely 60 seconds, a tense stalemate had become a commanding away performance.
For Real Salt Lake, the result will sting because they stayed in the match for so long and gave themselves a platform to take something from the fixture. But against a side with Miami’s attacking talent, one lapse can quickly become two, and that is exactly what happened late on.
For Inter Miami, this was a mature road win built on patience, control, and clinical finishing when it mattered most. De Paul’s 82nd-minute opener and Suárez’s 83rd-minute strike turned a difficult evening into a statement result, sending Miami home with all three points and plenty of momentum.
Final score: Real Salt Lake 0-2 Inter Miami CF
Goal scorers: Rodrigo De Paul 82′, Luis Suárez 83′
