FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored for the fifth time in three Major League Soccer matches to put Inter Miami up 3-0 early against the Columbus Crew on Saturday night.
Messi scored twice — in the 15th and 24th minutes — giving him 10 goals this season, which leads his team and is tied for third in MLS. He also assisted on Tadeo Allende’s goal in the 13th minute. That makes it two straight matches that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has recorded two goals and an assist.
Miami was the more aggressive team early. The Herons had seven shots — four on goal — in the first 25 minutes the match against a Columbus team that does not give up many goals. The Crew entered Saturday ranked eighth in MLS with just 19 goals allowed.
Allende opened scoring early in the first half with a cross-body finish set up by Messi’s long ball over the top. A few minutes later, Messi took advantage of a poor decision by goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen and lofted the ball over despite the keeper getting a hand on it.
On Messi’s second goal, Sergio Busquets set up his former Barcelona teammate for the second straight game, sending a long pass to a streaking Messi for the finish over Hagen.
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