Lionel Messi scored twice and provided an assist to lead Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday night. The performance in Atlanta helped Miami secure a commanding lead through dominant second-half play.
How did the scoring unfold?
After a scoreless first half, Germán Berterame opened the scoring in the final minute of the first half. Berterame utilized assists from both Messi and Luis Suárez to record his ninth goal in 26 MLS appearances.
Inter Miami extended their lead in the second half through the following sequence:
- In the 56th minute, Messi scored his 24th goal of the season, assisted by Berterame.
- In the 60th minute, Messi scored again for his 25th goal, with assists from Berterame and Suárez.
Atlanta United managed to score a late goal when Fafà Picault converted a penalty kick in the 89th minute, preventing a clean sheet for Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, who had recorded two saves during the match.
Historic Lionel Messi scoring milestones
Messi's performance set several significant benchmarks in the league. By recording his 15th assist, he tied Los Angeles FC's Son Heung-min for the league lead. He is also the first player in league history to record at least 15 assists in three consecutive seasons.
Additionally, Messi and Josef Martínez are the only players to score at least 25 times in a regular season twice. With 40 total goal contributions, Messi is currently nine shy of the record of 49 set by Carlos Vela in 2019. He has four matches remaining to attempt to break that record.
Match context and team stats
This victory follows a previous meeting in September where the two teams played to a 2-2 draw on the road. While Miami dominated this encounter, Atlanta United's Lucas Hoyos managed to save two shots during the match.
Other notable statistics from the game include:
- Berterame reached eight assists for the season.
- Luis Suárez notched a career-high 11 assists.
- Messi's 25 goals currently lead the league.
