Messi Scores Hat Trick in Inter Miami's Dominant 7-1 Victory

Inter Miami, under its new coach for the first time, secured a resounding 7-1 home win against CF Montréal, snapping a five-game winless streak across MLS and the Leagues Cup. Lionel Messi was the star of the match, scoring a hat trick and adding an assist.

Miami took an early lead in the 20th minute with a header from Casemiro, but Montréal equalized in the 37th minute. However, a free kick from Messi led to an own goal just three minutes later, giving Miami a 2-1 halftime advantage.

In the second half, Messi extended Miami's lead in the 50th minute with a solo effort reminiscent of his Barcelona days. The team then exploded in the final ten minutes, with Luis Suárez scoring in the 80th minute, followed by Messi completing his hat trick in the 83rd minute. Substitute Alexander Show added a sixth goal in the 89th minute, and Messi capped off the dominant performance with a spectacular free-kick goal in stoppage time, sealing the 7-1 victory.

The win keeps Inter Miami in second place in the Eastern Conference, though they remain ten points behind leaders Nashville SC.

In another match, Charlotte FC, featuring Israeli players Liel Abada and Idan Toklomati, defeated Atlanta United 2-0 on the road. Toklomati opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, and Abada sealed the victory with a powerful left-footed shot in the 48th minute. This win marked Charlotte's second consecutive victory and fifth in their last seven matches across all competitions, temporarily moving them to fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings.