September 21, (THEWILL) — Inter Miami claimed a crucial 3-2 victory against D.C. United at Chase Stadium on Friday evening, extending their winning streak to two matches. Club captain, Lionel Messi, delivered an outstanding performance, scoring twice and providing one assist to earn Royal Caribbean Icon of the Match honours. The Argentine forward now leads the MLS Golden Boot race with 22 goals this regular season.
Tadeo Allende opened the scoring in the 35th minute following a perfectly weighted through ball from Messi, slotting his eighth goal of the campaign into the bottom right corner. The visitors responded early in the second half when Christian Benteke found the equaliser in the 53rd minute, setting up an intense period of play.
Messi restored Inter Miami’s advantage in the 66th minute after receiving a pass from Jordi Alba, turning quickly in the box before firing a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner. The captain completed his brace in the 85th minute with a spectacular strike from the edge of the area, curling the ball into the upper left corner following Sergio Busquets’ assist.
Jacob Murrell pulled one back for D.C. United in stoppage time, but Inter Miami held firm to claim all three points and improve their league position. The victory moved Inter Miami closer to playoff qualification, with head coach Javier Mascherano emphasising the importance of securing six points at home during the week.
Messi’s performance brought his tally to 16 games with at least one goal and one assist in his first three MLS seasons, matching Carlos Vela’s record and trailing only Preki’s 17. Inter Miami will next travel to face New York City FC on Wednesday, September 24, continuing their push towards the playoffs.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
