FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi had a record-setting night at Inter Miami.
He scored one goal and provided five assists as Inter Miami defeated the New York Red Bulls 6-2 on Saturday night, and the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is the Argentine great who is currently playing in Major League Soccer. He set a record for Most Valuable Player three times. Record of efforts.
His six goal contributions, five assists, and five assists at halftime were all MLS records.
Messi, who won the MLS Player of the Month award in April, has scored and assisted in six consecutive league games.
Luis Suarez scored three goals and Matias Rojas scored two, as Inter Miami overcame a 1-0 deficit at half-time with six points.
Messi and Suarez currently have a league-leading 10 goals each, helping to keep Inter Miami (7-2-3, 24 points) atop the Eastern Conference.
The win extends Miami’s undefeated streak to six. The streak began after a 4-0 loss to New York on April 20, when Messi did not play due to injury.
Miami began the rout with Rojas’ equalizing goal in the 48th minute. Messi centered the ball and sent a pass to Rojas, who fired a left-footed shot that hit the bottom of the crossbar.
Suarez then sent a touch pass to the onrushing Messi, who beat New York goalkeeper Carlos Coronel with a shot from 15 yards.
Rojas scored his second goal in the 62nd minute off an assist from Messi, making it 3-1.
Messi then contributed to former Barcelona teammate Suarez’s opening goal in the 69th minute.
Suarez also scored in the 75th and 81st minutes, and the Red Bulls (4-2-5, 17 points) cut the deficit in stoppage time with a penalty from Emil Forsberg.
The Red Bulls dominated the ball early and eventually took advantage of a breakdown in Miami’s defense, scoring Dante Vanzeil’s goal in the 30th minute.
Jose Carmona ran deep into the right side of the wide area and fired a shot, but it bounced off the far post. An unmarked Van Zeel collected the deflection and converted from 15 yards.
Messi had his only chance to score in the 24th minute of the first half, when Coronel stopped his shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba has missed his third consecutive game due to a hamstring injury.
Both clubs will continue play in MLS next Saturday. Inter Miami will host CF Montreal, while the Red Bulls will host New England.
