Messi scores twice, assists in Miami's 4-2 win over Montreal

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi scored twice and had an assist, and Inter Miami broke out of its slump with a 4-2 victory over 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 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 — so puzzling that Messi spoke recently of the group's need to stick together despite the difficulties.

His pep talk seemed to work.

In its last match, Miami rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Philadelphia, which leads MLS with 10 wins this season. And that momentum carried over against Montreal, which is last in the Eastern Conference with only one win.

“We know in what situation we are (in),” said Miami coach Javier Mascherano. “Sometimes you have to analyze not just the result, you have to analyze the game, how we play. I think in some games we didn’t get the result that we wanted. We deserved it a little bit more, but in (soccer), you don’t deserve, you have to do.”

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 with 20, but had just two entering Wednesday's match.

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.

Miami could be without three defenders on Saturday, including veteran left back Jordi Alba, who went down with a lower-body injury in the first half. Mascherano said the team would need to gather more information to find out the extent of the injury.

Gonzalo Luján and Toto Aviles also left with lower-body injuries.

Miami allowed two late Montreal goals by Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi, both lapses that Mascherano was not happy about.

“That is something that is unacceptable,” he said, “that we have to improve.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer