Lionel Messi was unstoppable once again. He scored two goals and provided an assist. Inter Miami thrashed New York City FC 4-0 in Major League Soccer on Wednesday. The win confirmed Miami’s place in the MLS Cup playoffs.
Messi now stands alone at the top of the league’s scoring list. He has 24 goals in 23 matches. That puts him two ahead of Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC. Messi is also a strong candidate for this season’s Most Valuable Player award.
Miami had to work hard early on. NYCFC created the better chances in the first half. Thiago Martins forced a save with a powerful header. Aiden O’Neill tried from distance but was blocked. Nicolas Fernandez also struck the post.
But Miami struck first. In the 43rd minute, Messi played a sharp through ball. Young striker Baltazar Rodriguez sprinted onto it. He calmly finished past goalkeeper Matt Freese to make it 1-0.
The second half belonged to Messi. In the 74th minute, Sergio Busquets sent him through. Messi skipped past a defender. He chipped the ball neatly over Freese. It was a vintage Messi goal.
Luis Suárez then made it 3-0 from the penalty spot. He returned to the team after a three-match ban. His suspension was for spitting on a Seattle staff member in the Leagues Cup final.
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Messi wasn’t finished. In the 86th minute, he scored again. This time with a precise angled shot from the right side of the box. The ball flew into the bottom corner.
Inter Miami are now third in the Eastern Conference. They trail leaders Philadelphia by five points. But Miami have two games in hand. They are still in the race for the Supporters’ Shield, given to the team with the best regular-season record.
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