Lionel Messi made his club football debut on Saturday when he opened the score for Inter Miami against DC United with a brace of goals, helping the defending MLS champions to move two places up in the Eastern Conference.
The Argentine, 39, netted twice in the second half, four nights after playing in his last game for Argentina in Benin. His goals were the final in a stellar showing for Miami that earned just their second win in their last 11 league games.
Luis Suarez opened the scoring with two goals in the first half. Uruguay’s striker was the first to score in the third minute after he received a German Berterame pass into the top left corner, left-footed. It was another power play goal by Suarez in the 39th minute, bringing him up to 16 goals for the season.
Messi picked up the thread in the 47th minute, beating the goalkeeper with a great left-footed shot to make it 2-1. He then provided a second in the 60th minute, beating three men before scoring to secure a 4-0 win.
It brought Inter Miami to 49 points on a record of 13 wins, five losses and 10 draws, and boosted them from third to second place in the Eastern Conference.
Messi is still a major contributor for the league with 23 goals and 13 assists. He is on the third year of his stretch of earning the MLS Most Valuable Player honors, which Miami is aiming to repeat with him in the starting lineup this year, a feat last duplicated by the LA Galaxy in 2011 and 2012.
