Messi's 6th Brace in 7 Matches Powers Inter Miami Past Red Bulls 4-0
By : Sandhya
Lionel Messi delivered yet another masterclass on Saturday night, scoring two goals and adding two assists to lead Inter Miami CF to a commanding 5-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey. The win marked Miami’s sixth triumph in their last seven MLS matches.
The Red Bulls struck first in the 15th minute when Alexander Hack capitalized on a corner kick from Emil Forsberg. But Messi quickly turned the tide. In the 24th minute, he assisted Jordi Alba for the equalizer — Alba’s first goal of the season. Just three minutes later, Luis Suarez found Messi, who deftly set up Alba, and the Spanish full-back returned the favor with a cross that Telasco Segovia buried to make it 2-1.
Segovia added his second in first-half stoppage time after pouncing on a rebound following a drive by Federico Redondo. Messi then put the game out of reach in the 60th and 75th minutes — one a clinical finish after chesting down a cross from Suarez, the other a trademark strike inside the box.
Miami head coach Javier Mascherano praised the team’s resilience after a grueling stretch of five matches in two weeks, noting that the loss to Cincinnati earlier in the week was likely due to fatigue. “Now we have a long week ahead. It’ll give us time to rest the tired players and possibly bring back a few from injury,” Mascherano said.
Despite the loss, the Red Bulls had moments of promise but struggled to match Miami’s precision. Their lone goal came amid a congested box, but they were outshot 8-1 in shots on target over the 90 minutes.
The night, however, belonged to Messi, who now has 18 MLS goals this season and has been directly involved in 27 of Miami’s scoring plays. Since arriving in the summer of 2023, he’s scored 40 MLS goals, further cementing his dominance in the league.
Mascherano, a longtime teammate of Messi with both Barcelona and Argentina, summed up the star’s impact: “Leo transcends football. Like Michael Jordan and Rafa Nadal, he’s one of those few who become more than just athletes. We are privileged to witness it up close.”
With the win, Inter Miami continues its charge in the Eastern Conference and looks ahead to a much-needed break before their next fixture.