Inter Miami secured a commanding 7-1 victory over CF Montreal on Saturday evening, with Lionel Messi delivering a standout performance that included four goals and one assist.
Messi opened his scoring in the 40th minute with a free kick goal that broke a 1-1 tie. Carlos Casimiro had given Inter Miami an early lead with a header off a corner kick in the 20th minute, before Montreal equalized through Fabian Herbers in the 37th minute. The match shifted decisively in Inter Miami’s favor after halftime, with Messi scoring three additional times. He netted in the 52nd minute to extend the lead to 3-1, then added two more goals in stoppage time, including another free kick conversion in the sixth minute of added time.
Supporting contributions came from Luis Suárez, who scored his 11th goal of the season off an assist from Messi, and 18-year-old rookie Alexander Shaw, who scored his first goal in limited action. The team’s sixth goal of the sequence came in the 89th minute. Dayne St. Clair made three saves for Inter Miami in the victory.
The result marked Inter Miami’s fifth consecutive victory over Montreal. Montreal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier recorded five saves in the loss. The teams are set to meet again, with Montreal traveling to face Philadelphia Union on Saturday while Inter Miami hosts Atlanta United the same day.
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