LIONEL MESSI NETS TWO AS INTER MIAMI STUNS CINCINNAATI IN 8-GOAL THRILLER

Lionel Messi had two goals and an assist, Germán Berterame had the go-ahead goal in the 84th minute and Inter Miami CF rallied for a 5-3 victory over FC Cincinnati on Wednesday, extending its road winning streak to seven.

It is the third time this season the Argentine superstar has had at least three goal contributions in a match. He is second in the league with 12 goals.

Mateo Silvetti evened it at 3-3 in the 79th minute after coming on as a substitute.

Kévin Denkey, Pavel Bucha and Evander scored for Cincinnati. It is the first time in 64 matches since Pat Noonan became coach in 2023 that it lost when it had the lead after 75 minutes.

Messi gave Miami a 1-0 lead at the 24-minute mark after he deflected a shot that went off Cincinnati's Matt Miazga near the Cincinnati goal. Denkey evened it on a penalty kick in the 41st minute.

"Speaking about Leo is truly striking, first because of the person he is, and second because of the player you see on the pitch," Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said after the game.

Lionel Messi has amassed 61 goals and 42 assists in 65 MLS regular-season appearances. Photo by Chris Carter/MLS via Getty Images

After Bucha put Cincinnati on top in the 49th minute, Messi made it 2-2 six minutes later on a cutback after getting the pass from Luis Suárez.

The 38-year-old Argentina star recorded his 21st multi-goal game in MLS, extending his record for the most such games since his 2023 debut. LAFC striker Denis Bouanga follows in second place with 17.

Evander's in the 64th minute with a right footer from the center just outside the box to give Cincinnati a 3-2 lead. Miami though would rally and score the next three goals.

After Silvetti's goal, Miami took the lead off a set piece when Cincinnati's Andrei Chirila collided with goalkeeper Roman Celentano, allowing Berterame to put it into the open net.

Messi appeared to have a hat trick in the 89th minute when his shot went off the post and deflected off Celentano, but it was corrected to an own goal shortly after the match. It would have been Messi's 61st hat trick in all competitions.

"Him [Messi] Rodrigo [De Paul] and [Luis] Suárez are players who truly elevate the MLS. What they accomplished today was brilliant, simply brilliant. To perform that way on a difficult pitch, against a very tough opponent, s  peaks volumes," Hoyos added.

-ESPN News Services

TOP GOAL SCORERS IN HISTORY

 

LIONEL MESSI HAT TRICK HELPS INTER MIAMI BREAK MLS POINTS RECORD

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami lifted the MLS Supporters' Shield after Saturday's game. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Lionel Messi scored a stunning 11-minute hat trick to help Inter Miami break the Major League Soccer record for most points in a single season, after defeating the New England Revolution 6-2 Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Miami concluded the MLS regular season with 74 points in 34 games and a 22-4-8 (W-L-D) record, narrowly besting the Revolution's 2021 mark of 73 points.

Luis Suárez propelled Inter Miami to rally from two goals down after 34 minutes, scoring twice in under four minutes to keep alive the chase for the points record.

But it was captain Messi who fittingly cemented Inter Miami's name in league history. Just one minute after coming on he helped set up Benjamin Cremaschi to put Miami ahead for the first time in the 58th minute.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner then took center stage himself, starting in the 78th minute, to score his first hat trick for Miami and in the process become the club's all-time leading scorer with 33 goals.

Miami also became the first team in MLS history to have multiple players score at least 20 goals in a season.

With 20 goals apiece, Messi and Suárez are set to finish second in the Golden Boot race to D.C. United's Christian Benteke (23 goals). Messi, though, leads the league in total goal contributions with a combined 36 goals and assists in only 19 games.

"Our captain has led us, the players have led us in times where it was difficult," Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. "But now, tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare for Friday and the playoffs.

"As my partner and friend Jorge Mas said, this was always about creating history for Miami. This was always about family, la familia, our people in this stadium. Tonight, it's about you guys because you supported us through the tough times and you're supporting us through the good times."

Messi returned to action only last month after after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in the final of the Copa América on July 14. But he now has hat tricks in back-to-back games following his treble in Argentina's World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia on Tuesday.

"After the major injury he had in the Copa América, we had to be very careful in his recovery and in his insertion into the team," Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino told reporters. "And it seems to me that both the Argentine team and us here were very careful with that issue and we ended up nourishing each other.

"I think the game with Columbus was very important, especially the second half, with Leo being very involved in what happened in that game. And obviously we also drew nourishment from this last match with Bolivia where he already seemed much looser, much more in rhythm. And obviously today, well, I think the first ball he touches is the pass to Jordi Alba [for Miami's third goal], so today the feeling that we have it in an ideal situation."

It was a night of celebration for Miami. The team was awarded the 2024 Supporters' Shield after the final whistle, having clinched the prize for best regular-season record in MLS for the first time earlier this month. The trophy was Miami's first piece of MLS silverware since debuting as an expansion club in 2020.

Inter Miami previously lifted the inaugural MLS vs. Liga MX Leagues Cup trophy soon after Messi's arrival in the summer of 2023.

After Saturday's win, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced Miami would take part in the 2025 Club World Cup and host the expanded 32-team tournament's opening game at Hard Rock Stadium.

More immediately, Inter Miami will now have home-field advantage through the MLS playoffs. The team kicks off the postseason Friday against the winner of the Eastern Conference wild-card match Tuesday between CF Montreal and Atlanta United.

"Let's get ready for the playoffs," Beckham said.

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LUIS SUAREZ TO RETIRE FROM URUGUAY AFTER FRIDAYS WC QUALIFIER

 Luis Suárez announced his retirement from the Uruguay national team in a news conference Monday, saying he will step away from international duty after his team's World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona star, who is now playing with Inter Miami in MLS, departs as Uruguay's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 games across 17 years.

"There is no better pride in oneself than knowing when the right moment to retire is, and luckily I am confident that I am retiring from the national team because I want to take a step aside," an emotional Suárez told a news conference Monday. "I am 37 years old and I know that it is very difficult to get to the next World Cup. It comforts me a lot that I can retire and not for my injuries to retire me, or to stop being called up.

"For me individually, it is very helpful for me to want to take that step aside and feel ready. It is difficult because the decision was not easy. But I go with the peace of mind that until the last game I gave my all, and that the flame did not burn out slowly and that is why I made the decision that it should be now."

Suárez made his senior debut for Uruguay on Feb. 8, 2007, in a 3-1 victory against Colombia and soon became an integral part of the squad. By 2010, he featured in 19 of the 20 World Cup qualifying matches to secure a spot for La Celeste at the tournament in South Africa.

The forward played a pivotal role in his first of four World Cups, starting five of Uruguay's six matches. During the quarterfinal against Ghana, Suárez committed an infamous handball in the final moments of the game, giving Ghana a chance to win the game with a penalty. Though Suárez was sent off, Asamoah Gyan missed the attempt and Uruguay went on to win the match via a penalty shootout and advance to the semifinals.

Suárez continues to defend the action to this day, calling it "the best save of the tournament."

He has since featured in three other World Cups in 2014, 2018 and 2022 as well as the 2011, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024 Copa Américas.

During the 2011 edition, the forward scored the opening goal in the 3-0 win over Paraguay in the final that put the nation on the path to its 15th Copa América triumph. Overall, he managed four goals and two assists that year to earn MVP of the tournament.

"I was lucky to win many titles in my career, but I would not change the Copa América title for anything in the world," Suárez added. "That Copa América trophy in 2011 was the most beautiful moment I experienced in my career as a professional player. I would not change it for anything and look, I won a lot of other things."

His most recent international appearance came in the team's 2024 Copa América match for third place against Canada, where he scored a penalty in the shootout to help his team win.

Suárez joined the star-studded Miami side, featuring Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, ahead of the 2024 MLS season and has been thriving for the Supporters' Shield leaders. He scored twice in Miami's last game, a 4-1 win against Chicago Fire FC, bringing his total number of goals for the season to 16.

- Lizzy Becherano

LUIS SUÁREZ TO JOIN NACIONAL