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Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez each scored twice to lead Inter Miami to a 4-2 win against Montreal, moving Miami up to sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Lionel Messi scores goal against CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois (Picture credit: AP)
Star Argentina player Lionel Messi and his long-time teammate Luis Suarez each scored twice to lead Inter Miami to a 4-2 Major League Soccer win against the visiting Montreal on Wednesday at the Chase Stadium in Florida.
Messi opened the scoring in the 27th minute and helped on Suarez’s first goal in the 68th minute, giving Miami a 2-0 lead.
Suarez scored again in the 71st minute before Montreal winger Dante Sealy responded in the 74th minute.
Messi scored his second in the 87th minute, and midfielder Victor Loturi pulled one back for Montreal two minutes into stoppage time, but the damage was done by then.
With the win, Miami moved up to sixth in the Eastern Conference with seven victories and five draws from 15 games, while Montreal remained at the bottom with just one victory, a whopping 10 defeats and five draws.
Miami had lost twice and drawn as many times in their previous four games.
“We had to take responsibility for the poor results. It’s a matter of correcting to regain confidence. The victory means a lot. We have to continue to gain confidence in this kind of game,” Suarez said after the win.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano was concerned about injuries to defenders Gonzalo Lujan, Tomas Aviles and Jordi Alba.
“We needed to cut the negative dynamic. I’m happy. Unfortunately, the victory is tarnished by the departure of Gonzalo, Jordi and Toto,” Mascherano said.
“In the case of Gonzalo and Jordi, it was something muscular, which tomorrow we will see how far it is. In the case of ‘Toto’, it was the ankle that swelled in a stomp. Maybe he could continue,” Mascherano added.
Overall Major League Soccer leader Philadelphia won 2-1 at Toronto as the Union rallied late following Norway’s Ola Brynhildsen’s goal in the 75th minute.
Defender Nathan Harriel scored the equaliser for the Union in the 86th minute and Germany’s Kai Wagner scored the match winner two minutes into stoppage time in a thriller.
The Union improved to 10-3-3 for a league-high 33 points while none of the three clubs just behind them on the table could manage full points, second-place Cincinnati drawing 3-3 with visiting Dallas and third-place Nashville drawing 2-2 at fourth-place Columbus.
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