Superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo shone for their respective teams on Wednesday.
Messi helped set up both goals and Inter Miami survived extended second-half pressure from Real Salt Lake to earn a 2-0 victory in Major League Soccer’s season opener on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale.
Ronaldo’s Al- Nassr advanced to the quarters of the Asian Champions League as they beat fellow Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Fayha 2-0 to complete a 3-0 aggregate victory in Hong Kong.
Portugal winger Otavio scored in the 17th minute to build on last week’s 1-0 win before Ronaldo added a late second, and Al-Nassr will next face Al-Ain after Hernan Crespo’s side saw off Uzbekistan’s Nasaf through Soufiane Rahimi’s injury-time winner.
Robert Taylor scored late in the first half and Diego Gomez scored late in the second for Miami, who were dominant before the break but inferior after it and probably fortunate to still be in the lead when Gomez added on.
Luis Suarez had the primary assist on Gomez’s insurance tally in his MLS debut after he became the third of Messi’s former FC Barcelona teammates to join him on Miami’s roster this offseason.
Messi had a wonderful late chance to add his first goal of 2024 in the 89th minute but was denied by goalkeeper Zac MacMath, who finished with six saves. However, MacMath should have done better against Taylor’s opener.
