Lionel Messi scores two goals as Inter Miami win against DC United

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over visiting DC United with his 21st and 22nd goals and 12th assist.

Miami, which won the league for the first time since July 5-12, won the opener with Tadeo Allende’s 15-6-7, 52 points, on Saturday night.

With three more games left, the Herons moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, eight points clear of East leader Philadelphia.

For DC, which lost for the first time in five games under incoming manager Rene Weiler, Christian Benteke scored his eighth goal and assisted his third.

After Messi scored a brace in the second half to give Miami a 3-1 lead, substitute Jacob Murrell added a late consolation goal for DC.

After Surridge opened the scoring with 21 goals but was unable to score in his team’s 3-2 loss at Orlando, Messi moved up above Nashville’s Sam Surridge in the MLS Golden Boot chase.

Given how frequently he threatened Luis Barraza’s goal in the second half, Messi might have scored a hat-trick on another night.

Moments later, just before Benteke leveled at 1-1 in the 53rd minute, he forced Barraza to make two saves before restoring Miami’s lead in the 66th.

Jordi Alba intercepted a pass from Ian Fray, and Messi cleverly retreated into the play from an offside position with DC defending en masse.

Messi turned and finished comfortably past Barraza as Alba placed a flawless pass between the DC defenses.

Mateo Silvetti, who beat Barraza to the ball in the box in the 72nd minute, earned himself a penalty by hitting the crossbar in the 72nd minute.

However, Messi provided the insurance that the Herons would require for the 85th. Sergio Busquets provided the pass well outside the box this time, with Messi tackling the ball first on the dribble before unleashing a shot that beat Barraza to the top left corner from the edge of the area.