Messi Hits Four in Miami Rout

Messi leads Miami response

Lionel Messi scored four times as Inter Miami beat CF Montréal 7-1 to end a five-match winless run in all competitions.

Miami had entered the match with one victory in seven games since the FIFA World Cup. The home side fell behind after Fabian Herbers scored for Montréal in the 37th minute, but responded with six unanswered goals.

Casemiro equalised in the 20th minute, before Messi put Miami ahead in the 40th with a direct free-kick. The goal was Messi’s 15th of the MLS season.

Four-goal display

Messi extended Miami’s lead seven minutes after half-time, producing a solo run before finishing for his second goal.

He then created Luis Suárez’s goal in the 80th minute, giving Miami a 4-1 lead. Messi completed his hat-trick three minutes later, lifting the ball over Montréal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier after receiving a pass from Rodrigo De Paul.

Rookie Alexander Shaw scored his first Inter Miami goal in the 89th minute. Messi completed the scoring in the sixth minute of added time with another direct free-kick.

Record night for Messi

The match marked Messi’s first four-goal performance in MLS. It was also Inter Miami’s highest-scoring match and largest victory in club history.

Messi finished the night with four goals and one assist. He moved to 18 goals and 10 assists in MLS this season, overtaking FC Dallas forward Petar Musa in the Golden Boot race. The 39-year-old also became the fastest player in league history to reach 20 regular-season multi-goal matches, doing so in 72 appearances.