This wasn't Inter Miami's best team, not by a longshot. That team is still something of a work in progress and, to be fair, any version of a squad without Lionel Messi is incomplete. We saw it last week when the club was embarrassed against the New York Red Bulls.
On Saturday Miami settled for a draw, one which looks both good and bad when looking at the context around it.
Luis Suarez provided Inter Miami's lone goal in a 1-1 draw with New York City FC, scoring his seventh goal of the season in all competitions. The match was perhaps Inter Miami's best defensive effort of the season, despite the one goal conceded, which was scored by Alonso Martinez off a bad Jordi Alba giveaway.
An ex-Barcelona star was responsible for goals on both ends, with Suarez notching his and Alba's mishap setting up NYCFC's finish on the other end. It was the play of the third Barca legend on the field that stole the show, though, as Sergio Busquets shined in a different role for the Herons
Deployed at centerback to start, Busquets added a new dimension to a previously-porous Herons defense. It's a look that Tata Martino may just try again in the future, particularly when this Miami team is fully healthy and available.
Despite missing players all over the field, the Herons earned a point. It'll be disappointing to some, but any point without Messi is decent enough as the Herons look ahead to bigger moments this week with the next round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium...
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)