Messi Finds the Net Twice in His MLS Comeback

Lionel Messi (38) netted a brace to propel Inter Miami to a convincing 4-1 victory over Montreal in their return to Major League Soccer on Saturday, following their exit from the Club World Cup.

This match marked Miami’s first MLS encounter in over a month. After progressing beyond the initial round of the Club World Cup, they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 last week.

Messi ensured there was no hangover from that loss for Javier Mascherano’s team, who are looking to improve their current sixth position in the Eastern Conference, having collected 32 points from 17 matches.

“It was a fantastic night for us; we really needed these three points to refocus on the MLS,” said Mascherano. “Reintegrating into league play after the Club World Cup is always a challenge, but the players handled it brilliantly.”

Though Messi was instrumental throughout the match, he did have a hand in Montreal’s opening goal.

His attempted backpass fell directly to Montreal’s Prince Owusu, who capitalised with a left-footed strike past goalkeeper Oscar Ustari to put Montreal up 1-0 just two minutes in.

Messi swiftly made amends.

In the 33rd minute, he set up Tadeo Allende just outside the box, who expertly lobbed the ball over Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirios.

Then, in the 40th minute, Messi showcased his signature brilliance, cutting in from the right side of the penalty area, evading Fernando Alvarez, and curling a stunning effort into the far corner to give Miami a 2-1 advantage at halftime.

Telasco Segovia extended the lead to 3-1 in the 60th minute with a powerful shot from distance that struck the crossbar and deflected in.

Messi secured his second goal just two minutes later, dancing around four defenders before finishing brilliantly into the centre of the net.

With this performance, Messi has now scored seven goals in his past four MLS matches, bringing his tally to 12 goals in 14 games.

“Leo is enjoying his football,” stated Mascherano. “Whenever he’s fit, he’s going to play. It’s clear that we gain a significant advantage with him on the pitch, and we intend to leverage that as much as we can.”

Miami now faces a busy schedule, with five more matches lined up before the end of the month.