Former Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner Lionel Messi has extended the Major League Soccer record for scoring multiple goals in successive games to five. The former Barcelona star did this with another double as Inter Miami beat Nashville 2-1 on Saturday.
The Argentina forward scored in each half to draw level with Nashville’s Sam Surridge at the top of the MLS scoring charts with 16 goals in 16 games. Lionel Messi has scored twice in each of those five games. He started with two in their win over Montreal and Columbus in May.
The 38-year-old further scored doubles against Montreal, New England Revolution and now Nashville after returning from Club World Cup. He opened the scoring in Fort Lauderdale with a low free-kick that went through the Nashville wall after 17 minutes.
Hany Mukhtar levelled for the visitors early in the second half, but Messi intercepted a loose pass from Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis to score what proved to be winner after 62 minutes.
The victory means Inter Miami is now in the fifth place in the Eastern Conference. It also means they have now moved five points closer to leaders Philadelphia with three games in hand.
