Inter Miami warmed up for the Club World Cup in style with a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday in Major League Soccer with two goals and two more as a result.
On June 14, Miami will face Egyptian and African champion Al Ahly, and after a significant run of form, they have found their touch once more in their previous two MLS games.
The tensions between Javier Mascherano’s team and Montreal were eased by a 4-2 win over Montreal in midweek, which saw Messi and Luis Suarez each score two goals.
Miami were aided by some unusually loose defending from Columbus, who has been one of the league’s top three regulars over the past three seasons, but Messi and Company were quickly able to open up space for them.
In the 13th minute, Argentine Tadeo Allende opened the scoring by sending a long ball over the top to Messi, who had dropped deep into midfield. The forward confidently slotted home.
Read more about PSG’s first-ever Champions League victory over Inter Milan.
When Columbus’ Guatemalan goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen hesitated with the ball at his feet and passed it to Messi, the World Cup winner attempted to chip him before the Guatemalan’s Nicholas Hagen, who had been injured, then gave Miami the second goal.
Hagen scrambled to get an extended palm on the ball, but the shot veered into the net, leaving the visitors in severe trouble.
Sergio Busquets spotted the Crew defense were asleep and floated a pass over the top to Messi, who then ran onto the advancing Hagen in the 24th minute, to steal the lead.
In the 58th minute, Cesar Ruvalcaba gave Columbus a glimmer of hope with a thundering header, but Miami had already reclaimed their three-goal lead six minutes later.
Messi broke through the middle before feeding Telasco Segovia, who slipped the ball to Suarez, who buried it into the bottom corner.
When he fed substitute Fafa Picault, who had already broken away before a clinical finish, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was the creator once more.
Argentina, who have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, are currently away in Chile on Thursday and host Colombia on June 10, with Messi now taking them on international duty.
Source: Channels TV
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