No coach, no problem.
Lionel Messi scored four goals to lift Inter Miami to a club-record 7-1 victory over visiting CF Montréal on Saturday and snap the team’s winless run in style.
Messi scored with a deflected free kick in the 40th minute before netting after a stunning solo run in the 52nd. After supplying an assist to Luis Suárez, the Argentina great then completed his hat trick and with a delicate chip over the goalkeeper with seven minutes of regulation time remaining.
He wasn’t done yet.
Deep into stoppage time, Messi lined up a free kick and dispatched it with trademark precision into the top corner of the net.
It’s the eighth time in Messi’s legendary career that he’s scored four or more goals in a single game and the first time since joining Miami. His last four-goal haul came in February 2020 for Barcelona against Eibar in Spain’s LaLiga.
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Saturday’s effort took also Messi to the top of the MLS scoring charts, with 18 goals in just 19 games, to put him two clear of FC Dallas’ Peter Musa.
The victory was Miami’s first in MLS play since July 25 and ended a run of five games without a victory in all competitions, including the Leagues Cup.
It came with interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos suspended from the touchline and with his permanent successor named this week, Cristian ‘Kily’ Gonzalez, still waiting for his work permit to begin his new job.
With assistant coach Rafael Pérez leading the team from the sidelines, Brazil international Casemiro had earlier opened the scoring with his first goal for Miami since his summer arrival.
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Miami’s other goal came from 18-year-old Alexander Shaw in the 89th minute.
The victory keeps Miami second in the Eastern Conference standings, behind leaders Nashville SC.
Montréal, who brought on new arrival and Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Alexis Sánchez in the second half, is 14th and one place off the bottom in the Eastern Conference.
