FORT LAUDERDALE.- Lionel Messi starred in a night of records with the Inter Miami.
The Argentine star contributed a goal and a whopping five assists as Miami crushed the New York Red Bulls 6-2 in MLS on Saturday.
Eight times awarded the Ballon d’Or, Messi set no less than three records with his brilliant game. His involvement in six goals, five assists and the fact that he provided them all in one half of the game set league records.
“The truth is that everyone had a phenomenal impact in the game, but Leo has probably done something historic, with five assists and a goal in the league,” said Miami’s Argentine strategist, Gerardo Martino. “He sounds redundant, but Messi always does something new. This is going to be difficult to see again.”
Messi, who won the April MLS Player of the Month award, has scored a goal and assisted in six consecutive league games.
The Uruguayan Luis Suárez scored three goals, while the Paraguayan Matías Rojas scored a double for Inter Miami, who scored six unanswered goals to reverse the 1-0 deficit with which they went into halftime.
Messi and Suárez now have 10 goals each, to top the scoring table. And his contribution has the Florida team at the top of the Eastern Conference with 24 points.
The victory extended the Herons’ unbeaten streak to six games. The streak began after a 4-0 loss on April 20 in New York.
Messi did not participate in that match due to an injury.
This is how Inter Miami won:
Miami got the win back on track with a goal from Rojas, which tied the score in the 48th minute. Messi crossed towards the Paraguayan, whose left foot shot just went under the crossbar.
Suárez was then Messi’s supplier, who defined himself in front of Brazilian-Paraguayan goalkeeper Carlos Coronel.
Rojas made it 3-1 with his second goal in the 62nd minute, thanks to another assist from Messi, who also contributed with the first goal from Suárez, his former teammate at Barcelona, in the 69th minute.
Suárez scored again in the 75th and 81st, before the Red Bulls came closer with a penalty converted by Emil Forsberg in stoppage time.
New York stagnated at 17 points despite controlling possession at the beginning of the match and capitalizing on a counterattack that led to a goal by Dante Vanzeir in the 30th minute.
Jordi Alba, another former teammate of Messi at Barça, missed his third game in a row due to a hamstring injury.
Next Saturday, Inter Miami visits Montreal, while the Red Bulls will host New England.
Source: AP
