Inter Miami claimed a 1-0 win against Montreal on Saturday, marking the Major League Soccer debut of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. The match unfolded without Lionel Messi, who continued to rest following his World Cup campaign.
The decisive moment came in the 81st minute when Luis Suarez converted a penalty kick, extending his impressive scoring run to six goals in three games and bringing his season tally to nine.
The game was marred by a serious injury to Miami's Mexican forward German Berterame. He was involved in a severe head collision with Montreal's Efrain Morales while contesting for the ball. Berterame was rendered motionless and required immediate medical attention before being transported off the field by ambulance. Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos later confirmed that Berterame was conscious and stable, with his family informed of the situation.
Casemiro, a seasoned player with 91 caps for Brazil and five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid, demonstrated control in midfield throughout the match despite both teams struggling to convert chances.
Messi and fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul were absent for a second consecutive game following Argentina's loss to Spain in the World Cup final. MLS officials also announced that Messi would not participate in the upcoming All-Star game.
Inter Miami's victory extended their post-World Cup winning streak to six games, positioning them just two points behind Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Orlando City.
Elsewhere, Chicago Fire continued their winless run since acquiring Robert Lewandowski, falling 3-1 to New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. Goals from Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Fernandez, and Malachi Jones secured the win for New York, while Joel Waterman scored for Chicago.
