Inter Miami beats Houston Dynamo without Leo Messi

(AFP) Inter Miami won 4-1 at the Houston Dynamo on Sunday with two goals from Venezuelan Telasco Segovia and one from Uruguayan Luis Suarez while Lionel Messi was out to rest up for future games.

Segovia, who joined Miami this season, was one of the top scorers in the North American league (MLS), with three goals in the first two rounds.

Inter has four points and is ranked third place in the Eastern Conference.

This time, the Florida franchise did not need the magic of Messi, whom coach Javier Mascherano left in Miami due to the heavy schedule of matches they have faced in MLS and the Concacaf Champions Cup.

"We chatted about it (with Messi). I don't know a player in the world who knows his body like Leo and after three games in six days and all the workload he had we thought it was best for him to rest," Mascherano said.

"Leo's absence is always difficult, because he is a unique player. We try not to miss him too much," said Luis Suarez, one of the stars of the night, scoring his first goal of the year and providing two assists.

The team captain's absence caused significant disappointment among the nearly 20,000 spectators at Shell Energy Stadium, who were offered a free ticket for another game by the Dynamo as compensation.

Messi, 37, is expected to rejoin the squad to face Jamaica's Cavalier in the round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup on Thursday.