Messi brace secures Inter Miami to 2-1 MLS win over New England

Lionel Messi continued his incredible run of form in Major League Soccer, scoring twice in the first half to lead Inter Miami to a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.

The 38-year-old Argentine superstar has now netted two goals in each of his last four league matches — a historic feat that makes him the first player in MLS history to score multiple goals in four consecutive games.

Messi began this stunning streak in late May with a brace against Montreal in a 4-2 win, followed by two more in a commanding 5-1 victory over Columbus Crew.

After a brief hiatus from domestic action to participate in the Club World Cup — where Messi scored once in four appearances before Miami were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 — he returned with another double in a 4-1 away win at Montreal last weekend.

With 14 goals in just 15 MLS appearances, Messi now sits two behind Nashville’s Sam Surridge in the Golden Boot race, despite playing six fewer matches.

“Leo is a phenomenon,” said Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano. “In my opinion, he’s the greatest player in the history of football. The fact that he’s still performing like this is just extraordinary.”

Messi opened the scoring in the 27th minute at Gillette Stadium, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to slot a left-footed effort into the net from close range. He doubled the lead 11 minutes later, timing his run perfectly to latch onto a long ball from former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets and curling a precise finish past goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic.

“The understanding between Leo and Busquets is second nature,” Mascherano added. “They’ve played together for so long that they instinctively know each other’s movements. The second goal was a perfect example of that.”

Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari also played a key role for Miami, making six crucial saves before New England pulled one back through Carles Gil in the 79th minute. Gil intercepted a pass and fired a powerful strike from distance to give the hosts a lifeline, but Miami held on for the three points.

The result lifts Inter Miami to fifth place in the Eastern Conference, now on 35 points — seven behind leaders FC Cincinnati but with three games in hand due to their Club World Cup commitments.

Miami’s hectic July continues with a home clash against Nashville on Saturday, one of three fixtures in a demanding 10-day stretch.

Mascherano admitted that the narrow lead made it impossible to rest Messi late in the game: “With New England’s late goal, we couldn’t take any chances.”