Lionel Messi scored four goals and supplied an assist as Inter Miami defeated CF Montreal 7-1 in Major League Soccer, delivering the largest winning margin in the Florida club's history. The Argentine captain produced his first four-goal match in MLS at Miami's Nu Stadium on Saturday night and helped his team end a five-match winless run across all competitions.
Inter Miami moved to 12 wins, four losses and six draws, reaching 42 points in the regular season. Montreal fell to 5-11-6 on 21 points and saw a four-game unbeaten league sequence end. Reuters, MLS and Inter Miami all reported the seven-goal performance and Messi's direct involvement in five of Miami's goals.
Casemiro opened the scoring in the 20th minute, converting a corner delivered by Messi for his first Inter Miami goal. Fabian Herbers equalized for Montreal in the 37th minute, but Messi restored the home side's advantage three minutes later with a free kick from the right. Miami therefore entered halftime leading 2-1 after briefly losing control of its early advantage.
Messi expanded the lead in the 52nd minute with an individual run that carried him beyond three defenders before he finished from the right side of the penalty area. Luis Suarez made it 4-1 in the 80th minute after a fast break, and Messi completed his hat trick three minutes later. Academy graduate Alexander Shaw scored his first senior goal in the 89th minute before Messi completed the rout with another free kick in stoppage time.
The four goals moved Messi from two behind the MLS Golden Boot lead to two ahead, according to the league's official account. Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos told Reuters that words fell short when describing the display, while emphasizing the importance of the response after the team's difficult run. The result also established a new club benchmark for margin of victory.
Miami's challenge is now to turn one exceptional night into sustained league momentum as the regular season advances toward its decisive phase. Montreal, meanwhile, must recover from the end of its unbeaten stretch and address a defense that conceded five times after halftime. Messi's scoring lead and Miami's 42-point total give the club a stronger platform, but the next fixtures will show whether the emphatic recovery can become a lasting change in form.
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