Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United in the MLS. The captain unlocked a tight match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, delivering a decisive performance that added to his team’s push near the top of the Eastern Conference. The result was managed by Inter Miami, who have recorded 7 victories in 18 matches since the season resumed following the World Cup.

Inter Miami Unlocks Atlanta United Defense

The breakthrough arrived late in the first half when Messi contributed with a header to set up Luis Suárez, who delivered a decisive pass for Germán Berterame to open the scoring at 1-0. Prior to the goal, Atlanta United’s Aleksei Miranchuk conceded an indirect free kick for a handball, and Tomás Jacob received a yellow card for a foul on Berterame. Inter Miami, currently under the technical direction of Cristian “Kily” González, has shown significant defensive improvement, utilizing Micael and Casemiro as central defenders to stifle Atlanta’s attack throughout the match.

Messi Scores Two Goals in Quick Succession

Messi collected a pass near the right flank, drove forward, and exchanged a double-wall with Berterame before firing a low shot through the legs of goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos for the 2-0 advantage. This goal saw Messi bypass his previous five-match scoring drought, which followed an earlier streak of scoring against Nashville, San Diego FC, Columbus Crew, DC United, and Cruz Azul.

Shortly after, Suárez provided a chipped delivery from deep in his own half that sent Messi on a breakaway against defender Júnior Alonso. Messi utilized a sharp change of pace and a subtle touch past Hoyos to net the 3-0 scoreline, securing goals number 935 and 936 of his professional career. The match, overseen by referee Allen Chapman, also saw Messi receive a yellow card in the 50th minute following a foul on Alonso.

Standings and Playoff Implications

The victory lifted Inter Miami to 55 points in the standings, keeping them 11 points behind conference leaders Nashville SC with four matches remaining in the regular season. The match atmosphere echoed the intensity of the July 15 Mercedes-Benz Arena fixture where Messi led Argentina to a World Cup semifinal victory over England, providing two assists for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez.

Atlanta United managed a late consolation goal when Fafa Picault converted from the penalty spot following a foul by Maximiliano Falcón in the area. The incident also resulted in a yellow card for Falcón. Earlier, a potential penalty for Atlanta was overturned by the referee following a VAR review of a challenge involving Luis Suárez and Paulo Díaz.

Upcoming Match Schedule

Inter Miami returns to action on Saturday, October 24, when the squad travels to face the New York Red Bulls at 18:30. Subsequent regular-season fixtures include a home match against FC Cincinnati on Wednesday, October 28 (20:30), an away fixture against the New England Revolution on Sunday, November 1 (21:00), and the regular-season finale against Charlotte FC on Saturday, November 7 (18:00) in Florida.