ATLANTA (AP) — Lionel Messi scored two second-half goals 4 minutes apart after a first-half assist, and Inter Miami cruised to a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday night.
Neither team scored until Germán Berterame used assists from Messi and Luis Suárez in the final minute of the first half to score his ninth goal in his first 26 MLS appearances.
Messi tied Los Angeles FC's Son Heung-min for the league lead with his 15th assist, becoming the first
player in league history with at least 15 helpers in three consecutive seasons.
Messi added his league-leading 24th and 25th goals in the 56th and 60th minutes for a 3-0 advantage. Berterame assisted on both scores and Suárez snagged one on Messi' second goal.
Messi won the Golden Boot Award last season with 29 goals. He and Josef Martínez are the only players in league history to score at least 25 times in a regular season twice. Messi's 40 goal contributions are nine shy of Carlos Vela's record set in 2019 with Los Angeles FC, and the Miami legend has four matches remaining to break it.
Berterame has eight assists and Suárez notched his career-high 11th.
Dayne St. Clair had two saves and lost his bid for a clean sheet when Fafà Picault scored on a penalty kick in the 89th minute.
Lucas Hoyos saved two shots for Atlanta United, which played Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw on the road to start September.
Atlanta: Hosts Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Miami: At New York Red Bullls on Saturday.
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