FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Tadeo Allende and Jordi Alba each scored two goals, Lionel Messi had three assists and Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 4-1 on Saturday night.
Messi has 24 goals and 17 assist and his 41 goal contributions this season are the second most in MLS history. Carlos Vela had 49 (34 goals, 15 assists) for Los Angeles FC in 2019.
Miami (17-7-8) is third in the Eastern Conference with 59 points, three behind second-place Cincinnati and three ahead of Charlotte and New York City. Philadelphia, the points leader in all of MLS, has 66 points.
Allende ran onto a no-look pass played ahead by Messi and scored from the right corner of the 6-yard box with a low shot that slipped inside the back post to open the scoring in the 32nd minute.
Alba gave Miami a 2-0 lead in first-half stoppage time. Messi stole a misplayed first-touch pass by goalkeeper at the corner of the area, quickly cut to evade a defender near the penalty spot and then slipped a pass to Alba for the finish from point-blank range.
Dor Turgeman made his first career start in MLS and scored for New England in the 59th minute but moments later Allende held off a defender and put away a long arcing ball-ahead played by Messi to make it 3-1 in the 60th and Alba’s second goal capped the scoring in the 63rd.
The 21-year-old Turgeman made his debut when he subbed on in 56th minute of the Revolution’s 2-0 win over Atlanta last Saturday.
Miami beat the Revolution 2-1 on July 9.
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