On Saturday night, Lionel Messi helped Inter Miami defeat Nashville SC 3-1 with two goals and an assist, bringing his Major League Soccer record to seven.
After scoring twice against Orlando on March 2, Messi had his second two-goal performance in an MLS match. Out of the six league games he has participated, he has a goal or an assist; he has missed four due to injury.
In his first game back with Miami since joining former Barcelona colleague Messi in the summer, Sergio Busquets scored.
Since Messi’s arrival, Miami (5-2-3, 21 points) has defeated Nashville in all five of their meetings. Miami maintained its lead in the Eastern Conference as well.
Miami let up a goal in the first minute for the second straight week as Miami defender Franco Neri’s own goal gave Nashville the advantage. In the second minute, Neri deflected a corner ball from Daniel Lovitz into the Miami goal.
Nashville only managed only one goal (1-6-1, 4).
With goals from Messi and Busquets in the eleventh and 39th minutes, Miami overcame the early deficit.
Elliott Panicco, the goalkeeper for Nashville, diverted Messi’s 12-yard shot, finding an open Suárez who tapped it to Messi right away. Messi scored the equalizer with a dipping shot inside the 6-yard box when Panicco was out of position.
As he headed Messi’s corner ball to the near post and past Panicco, Busquets scored the game-winning goal.
In the 55th minute, goalie Drake Callender made a diving save to deflect Hany Mukhtar’s 35-yard rocket, keeping Miami ahead.
In the 81st minute, Messi scored on a penalty kick to give Miami a two-goal lead. Josh Bauer of Nashville fouled Leo Alfonso on the edge of the penalty area, and Messi then beat Joe Willis, the backup goalkeeper, inside the left post.
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