Lionel Messi marked his first match since leaving the Argentina national team with a bang, scoring twice to help Inter Miami thrash DC United 4-0 on Saturday. The 39-year-old South American superstar struck in the 47th and 60th minutes, taking his tally to 23 goals and 13 assists in the league this season. Inter Miami improved to 13-5 with 10 drawn for 49 points, jumping from third to second in the Eastern Conference.
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez scored a first-half brace, blasting a left-footed shot from the heart of the box into the top left corner in the third minute and striking again in the 39th for his 16th goal of the campaign. Suarez's goals staked Miami to a 2-0 lead at halftime, setting the stage for Messi's decisive contributions in the second half. German Berterame assisted both of Suarez's goals.
Messi's first goal came off an assist from Suarez, as he blasted home a left-footed shot to give Miami a 3-0 lead. He then evaded three defenders to add another goal 13 minutes later, sealing the win for the pink-clad hosts. The victory marked Miami's second in their past 11 league matches and moved them up the Eastern Conference table.
In other games, Scottish striker Lewis Morgan and American Djordje Mihailovic scored in second-half stoppage time to rally Toronto for a 2-1 home victory over Montreal. The visitors took the lead through a goal by Mexican forward Daniel Rios in the 52nd minute, but Toronto battled back for the equalizer through Morgan in the third minute of stoppage time.
Mihailovic struck for the decider in the fifth minute of extra time, securing a win for Toronto and ending their three-game losing streak. The victory pulled Toronto within a point of an East playoff berth. Mihailovic, a former Montreal standout, expressed satisfaction with his goal, saying it felt good to score on both sides of the derby.
At Chicago, Swiss forward Maren Haile-Selassie scored in the 87th minute to give the 10-man Chicago Fire a 2-1 triumph over New York City. Austrian midfielder Hannes Wolf gave City the lead in the 19th minute, but Chicago equalized through Swede Anton Saletros in the 55th minute. Chicago dropped to 10 men when Ivory Coast midfielder Dje D'Avilla received his second yellow card in the 43rd minute.
The win for Miami keeps them in contention for a second consecutive MLS crown, with Messi seeking a third consecutive MLS Most Valuable Player award. Key players like Messi and Suarez have been instrumental in Miami's success this season. The team's next match will be crucial in determining their chances of winning back-to-back MLS titles.
Key points
- Lionel Messi scored twice in his first match since leaving the Argentina national team.
- Inter Miami moved up to second in the Eastern Conference with the win.
- Messi has 23 goals and 13 assists in the league this season.
