Luis Muriel emerged as the standout player as Orlando City SC secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Inter Miami CF on Sunday night, a match notably missing Lionel Messi due to injury. Muriel opened the scoring just two minutes into the game with a well-placed finish after a through ball from Martín Ojeda. Despite this early lead, Inter Miami quickly responded with Yannick Bright scoring his first MLS goal to equalize by the fifth minute. However, the initial balance soon tipped in favor of Orlando City.

The second half saw Orlando City take firm control of the match, with Muriel scoring his second goal five minutes after the interval. This goal marked his eighth of the season and came after a short corner played by Ojeda. The momentum remained with Orlando as Ojeda added a goal in the 58th minute, extending his league-leading tally of goal contributions to 27. Marco Pašalić later sealed the victory with an unassisted goal in the 88th minute, concluding a dominant performance for Orlando.

Goalkeeping was a pivotal aspect of the game, with Orlando’s Pedro Gallese making four key saves, including a highlight moment when he tipped a long-range shot from Luis Suárez over the crossbar. On the other side, Inter Miami’s Óscar Ustari made eight saves, but was unable to keep the scoreline close. The absence of Messi was keenly felt by Inter Miami, as his 18 goals in 18 appearances this season had been critical for the team. Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano admitted the team lacked the intensity and hunger to match Orlando’s level tonight, which contributed significantly to the defeat.

The win propelled Orlando City up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, with coach Oscar Pareja just one victory away from reaching 100 across all competitions. Meanwhile, Inter Miami remained sixth but held several games in hand over teams above them in the table. Miami will look to bounce back when hosting LA Galaxy next Saturday, while Orlando hosts Sporting Kansas City in their upcoming fixture. This result also continued Orlando’s strong recent record against Miami in home matches, showcasing a potential shift in rivalry dynamics within the league.