Messi’s latest brace lifts Miami to victory over Nashville

AFP, Miami:

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi continued his historic Major League Soccer scoring run Saturday, netting two goals to lift Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over Nashville.

Four days after he became the first player ever to score multiple goals in four straight MLS matches, Messi delivered his fifth brace in five MLS games and Miami continued their climb up the Eastern Conference standings after their league hiatus for the Club World Cup.

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a free kick, his left-footed shot finding its way through the only gap in Nashville’s defensive wall and past goalkeeper Joe Willis.

Miami dominated in the first half, but just four minutes into the second half, Hany Mukhtar’s header pulled Nashville level.

Messi came to the rescue again, grabbing the game-winner in the 62nd minute when he capitalized on a bad mistake from Willis — who misjudged a pass to tee up Messi for the strike.