FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored twice and had an assist, and Inter Miami broke out of its slump with a 4-2 rout of Montreal on Wednesday night.
Messi scored in the 27th and 87th minutes and set up Luis Suárez's goal with some nice dribbling in the 68th. Suárez added another in the 71st.
The win gave Messi's slumping Inter Miami team just its second victory in its past eight matches. Miami last won on May 3, going 0-2-2 since then and dropping to sixth in the Eastern Conference.
It has been a surprising plunge for a team that went 22-4-8 during the regular season in 2024 to set MLS records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) and captured the Supporters Shield.
In its last match, Miami rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Philadelphia, and that momentum carried over against Montreal, which is last in the Eastern Conference with just one win this season.
Messi's first goal on Wednesday was set up by Sergio Busquets, who delivered a pass to his former Barcelona teammate and set the screen that freed up Messi for his seventh goal of the MLS season.
Messi then linked up with Suárez to give Miami a two-goal cushion midway through the second half, and iced the win on a pass from Suárez just before the end of regulation.
It was a much needed goal for Suárez, who finished last season tied for the second-most goals in MLS (20) but had just two goals entering Wednesday's match.
Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi scored for Montreal.
It was also the offensive performance Miami needed before it begins Club World Cup play. The Herons have another MLS match at home on Saturday against Columbus before their first contest of the tournament against Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
