Lionel Messi came back firing as the MLS regular season resumed. Playing away against a Montreal team deep in crisis, the Argentine superstar delivered a performance that left no room for doubt. With two brilliant goals and an assist, he reminded everyone exactly why he’s still one of the most influential athletes in world sports. Inter Miami cruised to a 4–1 victory, climbed to sixth in the Eastern Conference with 32 points, and still holds four games in hand over the top teams.
Montreal had a promising start but fell apart by the end
The game at Stade Saputo was barely underway when Messi gave the ball away near his own box. Prince Owusu didn’t waste the gift and scored in the opening minute, putting Montreal in front. It felt like the perfect storm for the conference’s last-placed team. But the optimism lasted all of five minutes. Montreal couldn’t keep up with the pace, was outclassed in midfield, and struggled to get anything going after that opening goal.
The Canadian club remains anchored to the bottom of the Eastern table with just 14 points and has now added another home loss to its record. There was a brief attempt to reset after the break, but Miami’s counterattacks tore through their defense with ease. Messi and Allende found pockets of space everywhere. The second half quickly turned into target practice.
Messi didn’t flinch after the early mistake
Most players would’ve let that opening blunder linger. Not Messi. He shook it off immediately and responded with impact. His assist for the equalizer came from a sharp, low pass into space at the top of the box. Allende made no mistake, smashing it in for his seventh goal of the season. That moment seemed to flip a switch. Messi took full command of the match minutes later, gliding into the area, cutting between two defenders, and finishing cleanly into the far corner to complete the comeback.
Inter Miami opened up even more after halftime
With Montreal stretched and chasing shadows, the visitors picked them apart. Telasco Segovia hit a rocket from long range that clipped the crossbar and dropped in. An absolute beauty. Just two minutes later, Messi danced through the heart of the defense, sliced past four defenders, and slotted home his second of the night.
He nearly completed the hat-trick too, but his third goal was ruled offside by inches. Even without it, the performance was unforgettable. Three of Miami’s four goals had his fingerprints all over them. His movement kept defenders guessing and his vision, as always, set the tempo. He didn’t just play the game, he controlled it.
Messi’s numbers speak for themselves
The win was impressive, but the milestone behind it made history. With two goals and an assist in the match, Messi became just the third player in MLS history to record at least two goals and one assist in three straight games. The last player to do that was Thierry Henry in 2012. Messi now has 12 goals and 7 assists in only 13 regular-season appearances. He leads Inter Miami in scoring and ranks among the top in goal contributions across the league.