Lionel Messi-Inter Miami Champ secured a thrilling win against Rapids in the Major League Soccer MLS by securing twice.
The news comes as he scored a brace and German Berterame headed another as Inter Miami secured a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the MLS in Denver on Saturday.
Messi scored the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute. He started a run just inside midfield and continued unchallenged all the way to the penalty area, where he fired into the top left corner for a 3-2 lead.
Rafael Navarro and Darren Yapi each scored for Colorado (4-4-0, 12 points) in front of 75,824 people at Empower Field, the second-largest crowd in MLS history.
Miami (4-1-3, 15 points) took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute after Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen’s pass was intercepted by Yannick Bright. Josh Atencio offered a tough challenge and was shown a yellow card after video review.
Messi took the resulting penalty and curled his shot straight down the middle as Miami took a 1-0 lead.
Colorado had a good look at the goal when midfielder Wayne Frederick attempted a one-touch lob. Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was out of position and well outside the penalty line after heading away a loose ball, but Frederick’s attempt sailed over the open net.
Furthermore, in the fifth minute of stoppage time of the first half, Miami extended their lead to 2–0, via a series of passes deep into their attacking third. Messi got the game going with a tight pass to Rodrigo De Paul.
While De Paul sent Mateo Silvetti on a run to the boundary line. His inswinging cross floated to the front of the goal, where Berterame rose above the Colorado defense and tucked a header under the crossbar.
Navarro’s goal cut Miami’s lead to 2-1. He started a run in midfield and used a step-over move to get an open shot a few steps into the penalty area that sat in the left post past a diving St. Clair in the 58th minute.
In the 62nd minute, second-half substitute Yapi took advantage of a direct pass from Lucas Herrington and hissed a shot past St. Clair for the equalizer.
Miami wrapped up the win a man down when Yannick Bright was sent off with a red card in the 87th minute.
Notably, the Argentine forward’s goals included scoring the match winner against Colorado Rapids in front of more than 75,000 fans in Denver.
