Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas
Final Score: Houston Dynamo FC 1–4 Inter Miami CF
Scorer: Segovia 6’, 45+2’, Allende 37’, Suárez 79’,Lodeiro 73’
On a pleasant Sunday night at Shell Energy Stadium Inter Miami CF won their first MLS match of the 2025 season with statistics that read 4-1 in their favor against Houston Dynamo FC. First-choice striker Lionel Messi received rest due to a rigorous start of the season but Inter Miami CF proved their depth with Luis Suárez and Telasco Segovia leading their dominant attack. The 38-year-old Uruguayan icon Suárez (38) executed the rout with 1 goal combined with 3 assists as up-and-coming player Segovia scored twice during Inter Miami CF’s 4-1 triumph at Shell Energy Stadium against Houston Dynamo FC. Tadeo Allende sealed the game when he drilled a powerful shot which stunned Houston spectators at their stadium.
Houston failed to establish flow during their match against Miami due to their 2-1 loss to FC Dallas followed by Miami’s united high-pressure system. The goal Nicholás Lodeiro scored during the second half delivered minimal impact to the match because Javier Mascherano and his team dominated throughout the game. Inter Miami puts up four points in two matches following their victory and demonstrates their commitment to retain the Supporters’ Shield while Houston experiences their second home defeat leading to doubts about their team identity under Ben Olsen.
First Half: Miami’s Press Sets the Tone
The match started at 7:00 PM ET under clear skies as Miami players showed their 4-3-3 tactical formation. The starting goalkeeper position was filled by backup keeper Oscar Ustari as Drake Callender took a break while defenders DeAndre Yedlin, Maxi Falcón, Noah Allen and Jordi Alba stood beside him. Miami arranged their players into a 4-3-3 style with Busquets settling in midfield behind Ruiz and Segovia supported by Suárez and his attacking pair of Taylor and Allende. The Dynamo employed a 4-2-3-1 formation led by Steve Clark who guarded the goal while Griffin Dorsey partnered Erik Sviatchenko and Ethan Bartlow at the back with Franco Escobar as the right-back. Team captain Amine Bassi joined forces with Sivert Mannsverk and Nicolás Lodeiro and Héctor Herrera distributed the ball to Ezequiel Ponce who received support from winger Lawrence Ennali.
The Miami squad began their dominance run immediately after kickoff. While controlling the loose ball that Mannsverk fumbled Suárez delivered a perfect pass to Segovia so he could sneak through the defense and shoot low to score. The swift opening goal established Miami’s aggressive approach that strangled Houston during its attempts at building attacking play from behind. The Dynamo maintained only 38% ball possession through the first half according to match statistics because Busquets and Ruiz ran the game in a clinical manner.
Herrera launched a long distribution pass toward Ponce in the 12th minute but the club’s most expensive acquisition sent his header gently toward the goalkeeper. Miami responded with venom. Allende fired a curling shot towards Clark in the 18th minute but received a save from the goalkeeper who knocked it onto the crossbar. The pressure of the moment revealed itself in the 37th minute as Suárez’s clever flick gave Allende the chance to fire a 20-yard shot into the top corner past Clark who remained unmoved. Allende scored Miami’s first goal of season in the MLS by delivering a loud statement into the top corner of the net.
The Dynamo encountered additional misery during stoppage time. A well-struck pass from Suárez gave Segovia a chance to finish clinically at the near post which became the third Houston goal before halftime. Miami completely dominated the match through their 14 shots (6 on target) coupled with their 5 corners while the Dynamo managed only 3 shots (1 on target) and no corners in their dismal performance. The Miami FC used Shell Energy Stadium as their personal domain through purposeful offensive play and maximized each Houston error.
Second Half: Suárez Seals the Deal
Houston showed more determination after the break when Olsen brought substitute Aliyu Ibrahim into the field because Ennali needed speed. Shortly after the second-half substitution Ibrahim managed to sprint away and force Ustari to make a key save after Lodeiro created a through pass. The Flamingos defense anchored by Falcón made sure to stay strong as Alba and Yedlin successfully shut down all threats coming from the wings.
A jumping Taylor aimed a volley at the net after Suárez sent a cross in from the right but his attempt bounced off the target post in the 57th minute. Houston’s midfield experienced difficulties because of the absence of Coco Carrasquilla as they were unable to maintain the same pace as Busquets played. The Dynamo launched an infrequent offensive move in the 65th minute when Bassi struck a free-kick that went wide off target to show their limited attacking potential.
Miami’s fourth arrived in the 79th minute, a masterclass from Suárez. The former Barcelona midfielder Busquets received a pass from his teammate before cutting between Sviatchenko and Bartlow to fire his shot above the crossbar. Suárez displayed his classic playing style through this goal by demonstrating power and poise while hitting his 22nd MLS goal in 31 matches after joining the team in 2024. By the fifteenth minute Miami’s control of the game had reached 4-0 but their twenty-one shots (ten on target) exceeded Houston’s eight attempts (three on target).
The Houston team managed to score a single goal during the seventy-third minute which brought a small moment of positivity to the match. The veteran Uruguayan player Lodeiro used a Ponce pass to strike a deflected shot which curled over the head of Ustari. The 4-1 score indicated a late surge when Ibrahim’s header made Ustari stretch for the save during the 85th minute as Miami’s fightback was insufficient.
The game concluded with a Miami victory while post-match disputes dominated the proceedings. The late substitute Ian Fray got a dubious red card following his post-game argument with Dorsey which angered Mascherano. Miami emerged victorious from the match with their third win in any competition during the 2025 season.
Key Performances
- In his Inter Miami appearance Luis Suárez led the game with one goal and three assists. The world-class abilities of Suárez at the age of 38 became obvious during his successful passes and goals against Atletico and Orlando. Man of the Match by a mile.
- The findings of Telasco Segovia (Inter Miami) showcased his developing prowess through two critical goals in his performance. Segovia demonstrated exceptional speed and composure as he netted six times throughout his 2019/2020 season as well as other competitions.
- The spectacular strike from Tadeo Allende (Inter Miami) demonstrated his entire team-oriented performance. The work ethic and skillful touches of Allende enabled Miami to function seamlessly with Suárez which proved him crucial to their attacking success.
- Nicolás Lodeiro managed to score Houston Dynamo’s only goal throughout the match despite overall negative team performance. The creative moves of Lodeiro failed to push Dynamo Football Club above its sinking state.
- By stopping four shots and making a remarkable save to deny Allende Steve Clark (Houston Dynamo) secured a decent score at the end of the match. The flawless attacking execution by Miami playmakers should not lead to any criticism of Clark.
Tactical Analysis
Miami applied a perfect high pressure strategy through Mascherano which yielded possessions that generated Segovia’s first goal before Allende scored his goal. Busquets took position in defensive territory to develop attacks while Suárez drifted to play as a false nine in a modified 4-3-3 formation. The defense-fielding combination between Falcón and Alba created lengthy runs which forced Houston into an unfavorable defensive position and Falcón fulfilled his role by marking down Ponce effectively. Miami’s improved squad strength made Messi’s absence negligible.
The 4-2-3-1 formation Houston fielded tried to maintain control but failed when facing intense opposition pressure. Herrera and Mannsverk formed Olsen’s static midfield core while Sviatchenko’s return to defense could not stop Miami from overpowering their team due to their quick players. A late tactical change to field two attacking players brought Houston some hope during the second period because their overall possession percentage reached only 42%.
Post-Match Reaction
Javier Mascherano (Inter Miami Manager): “A fantastic performance. The team established its ability to win matches without Leo Messi while Luis Suarez provided incredible performance during the game. Our aggressive defending and scoring opportunities made us worthwhile champions of this match. The red card? Javier Mascherano (Inter Miami Manager) finds the post-match red card difficult to grasp after experiencing a fantastic night.
Since helping the team brings me joy according to Luis Suarez (Inter Miami). Our team approached the match with high intensity because we understood the hardness of the competition but we capitalized on the opportunities presented to us. Telasco Segovia continues to improve in every successive game. This is a big win for us.”
Manager Ben Olsen stated that his team faced a straight-up defeat against Houston Dynamo. Miami responded to our errors by scoring multiple times while we remained without solutions. We should give credit where credit is due to Miami but our focus needs to be on ourselves since two home losses show an unsatisfactory performance. We’ll regroup and go again.”
Broader Context
This victory acts as an important declaration for Inter Miami. Without Messi, Inter Miami defeated Houston 3-1 after drawing NYCFC and winning the midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup against Sporting KC while giving fans reassurance regarding their reliance on the Argentine superstar. Suárez continued his incredible form by delivering four attacking shortcuts while Segovia became a standout player as Miami established themselves as trophy contenders for 2025.
Houston confronts worse problems because of this loss. The club faces leadership problems from Herrera’s retirement along with Carrasquilla’s transfer while their largest transfer Ponce remains unproductive. The two consecutive losses occurred at home which had remained Olsen’s only undefeated home streak since the beginning of 2023. This early defeat increased pressure on the newly organized team while fans wanted playoff playoff competition.
Conclusion
Inter Miami defeated Houston Dynamo FC 4-1 through effective attacking plays and non-stop pressing while Luis Suárez proved decisive in their triumph. Miami’s strength reaffirmed itself through Telasco Segovia’s two goals and Tadeo Allende’s exceptional strike yet Houston only scored one time through Nicolás Lodeiro’s effort during the loss. The Dynamo face a demanding next challenge in order to reorganize following their 4-1 loss to Inter Miami. Meanwhile Mascherano’s side continues their Shield defense undefeated. The night belongs to Miami fans while Houston used the match as a wakeup call as they seek their first win of the season.
