Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi dribbles the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game against the New York Red Bulls, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)
mlFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi had a record setting night for Inter Miami.
He scored a goal and had five assists as Inter Miami trounced the New York Red Bulls 6-2 on Saturday night — with the Argentine great and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner as the game's best player setting no fewer than three Major League Soccer records in the effort.
The six goal contributions, five assists and five assists in a half were all MLS records.
Messi, who earned the MLS Player of the Month Award for April, has now scored and assisted in six consecutive league matches.
Luis Suárez had three goals and Matias Rojas scored twice as Inter Miami got six unanswered goals to come back from a 1-0 deficit at halftime. Messi and Suárez now have a league-leading 10 goals each, helping keep Inter Miami (7-2-3, 24 points) atop the Eastern Conference.
The win extended Miami’s unbeaten string to six. The streak began after a 4-0 loss at New York on April 20, in which Messi did not play because of an injury.
Miami began the rout with Rojas’ equalizer in the 48th minute. Messi centered a pass to Rojas whose left-footed shot landed under the crossbar.
Suárez then fed a charging Messi with a touch pass to beat New York goalkeeper Carlos Coronel with a shot from 15 yards.
Rojas made it 3-1 with his second goal in the 62nd minute on an assist from Messi.
Messi then contributed on former Barcelona teammate Suárez’s first goal in the 69th minute.
Suárez also struck in the 75th and 81st minutes before the Red Bulls (4-2-5, 17 points) closed the scoring on Emil Forsberg’s penalty kick in stoppage time.
New York controlled possession early and eventually capitalized on a Miami defensive breakdown that resulted on Dante Vanzeir’s goal in the 30th minute. José Carmona ran deep into the right wing of the large area and blasted a shot that bounced off the far post. An unmarked Vanzeir retrieved the deflection and converted from 15 yards.
Messi had his only scoring opportunity of the first half in the 24th minute, when Coronel stopped his shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba missed his third straight game because of a hamstring injury.
Both clubs will continue MLS play next Saturday. Inter Miami will visit CF Montreal while the Red Bulls will host New England.
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