Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami thrashed DC United 4-0 on Saturday, producing a statement win in his first club match since bidding farewell to international football with Argentina.
Four nights after his emotional final appearance for the Albiceleste, the 39-year-old struck in the 47th and 60th minutes at Nu Stadium to complete a rout that had been set up by a first-half brace from Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan opened the scoring in the third minute and doubled the lead in the 39th, twice assisted by Germán Berterame, before Messi took centre stage after the interval.
A familiar masterclass
Messi’s first was a close-range finish from Suárez’s pass; his second was pure vintage — collecting a ball from Rodrigo De Paul, gliding past three defenders and placing his shot beyond the goalkeeper. The brace took his league tally to 23 goals, four clear in the Golden Boot race, alongside 13 assists, and extended his run of consecutive MLS matches with a goal contribution to ten.
The victory was only Miami’s second in eleven league outings, but it lifted the defending champions to second in the Eastern Conference on 49 points and strengthened their push for a top-four playoff seed. It was also the first league win for new head coach Cristián “Kily” González since his appointment in mid-September.
The farewell tour continues
Messi brought the curtain down on 21 years with Argentina on Tuesday in Buenos Aires, scoring in a friendly win over Benin before a tearful ovation. With the MLS playoffs beginning next month, Miami’s timing — and their captain’s form — could hardly be better. His focus now is a piece of history: no club has won back-to-back MLS titles since the LA Galaxy in 2011–12, and Miami’s captain is chasing a third consecutive Most Valuable Player award to go with it. An AFP report on the match captures the scale of the performance.
