Messi scores and adds MLS-record five assists in Inter Miami rout of Red Bulls
IntLionel Messi had a record night for Inter Miami.
He scored a goal and had five assists as Inter Miami defeated the New York Red Bulls 6-2 on Saturday night – with the Argentine great and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the game’s best player, having played no fewer than three Major League organized soccer matches. records in effort.
The six goal contributions, five assists and five assists in a half were all MLS records.
Messi, who earned the MLS Player of the Month award in April, has now scored and assisted in six consecutive league matches.
Luis Suárez scored three goals and Matias Rojas scored twice as Inter Miami conceded six unanswered goals to come back from a 1–0 halftime deficit. Messi and Suárez now have 10 goals each in the league, keeping Inter Miami (7-2-3, 24 points) at the top of the Eastern Conference.
The win extended Miami’s undefeated streak to six. The streak started after a 4–0 loss in New York on April 20, in which Messi did not play due to injury.
Miami started the rout with Rojas’ equalizer in the 48th minute. Messi centered a pass to Rojas, whose left-foot shot went under the crossbar.
Suárez then fed a charging Messi with a touch pass to beat New York goalkeeper Carlos Coronel with a shot from 15 yards.
Rojas made it 3-1 with his second goal in the 62nd minute, assisted by Messi.
Messi then contributed to former Barcelona teammate Suárez’s first goal in the 69th minute.
Suárez also struck in the 75th and 81st minutes before the Red Bulls (4-2-5, 17 points) closed the scoring after Emil Forsberg’s penalty in stoppage time.
New York controlled possession early and eventually took advantage of a Miami defensive breakdown that resulted in Dante Vanzeir’s goal in the 30th minute. José Carmona ran deep into the right wing of the wide area and fired a shot that bounced off the far post. An unmarked Vanzeir picked up the deflection and converted from 15 yards.
Messi had his only scoring opportunity of the first half in the 24th minute, when Coronel stopped his shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba missed his third straight match due to a hamstring injury.
Both clubs will continue with MLS play next Saturday. Inter Miami visits CF Montreal while the Red Bulls host New England.