Lionel Messi scored twice in four second-half minutes as Inter Miami secured a 3–1 victory over Atlanta United in Major League Soccer (MLS), strengthening their position ahead of the approaching play-offs.
The Argentine forward delivered the decisive performance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, helping Miami record their third consecutive league victory.
Inter Miami took the lead shortly before half-time when Germán Berterame headed home in the 45th minute following a cross from Luis Suárez. The goal gave the visitors a valuable advantage after a closely contested opening period.
Messi then took control of the match after the break. In the 56th minute, he doubled Miami’s lead with a composed finish after combining with Berterame and advancing into the penalty area.
Four minutes later, the 39-year-old forward struck again. A precisely delivered pass from Suárez sent Messi through on goal, where he manoeuvred past an Atlanta defender before finishing to make it 3–0.
Atlanta United continued to push for a response but struggled to overturn the deficit. Fafa Picault converted a penalty in the 89th minute to reduce the margin, although the home side could not find another goal before the final whistle.
The victory further strengthened Miami’s attacking momentum as the MLS play-offs approached. Messi’s two goals also took his league tally to 25 for the season, keeping him at the top of the scoring chart, according to reports published after the match.
Beyond the result, the performance highlighted Messi’s continued influence on Miami’s campaign. His movement, close control and finishing proved decisive against an Atlanta side that had competed strongly during portions of the encounter.
For Atlanta United, the defeat underlined the difficulty of containing elite attacking players when defensive concentration drops. Despite creating opportunities and earning a late penalty, the hosts were unable to prevent Miami from taking all three points.
Inter Miami will look to maintain their form as the regular season progresses, while Atlanta must regroup and address the defensive lapses that allowed the visitors to establish a commanding lead.
Lionel Messi scores twice in four minutes as Inter Miami beat Atlanta United 3–1 in MLS, taking his league tally to 25 goals for the season.
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