Miami, Oct 25: Lionel Messi once again proved his unmatched brilliance, scoring twice to propel Inter Miami to a commanding 3-1 victory over Nashville SC in the opening game of their MLS Cup round one playoff series on Friday night in Fort Lauderdale.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who was presented with the Golden Boot award before kickoff for topping the regular-season scoring chart with 29 goals in 28 games, wasted little time in showing why he remains the face of Major League Soccer.

In the 19th minute, Messi connected with a diving header off a Luis Suarez cross to open the scoring, capping a slick move that began with Sergio Busquets regaining possession near the sideline before finding Rodrigo De Paul, who linked up with Messi and Suarez in a sequence of vintage chemistry.

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Inter doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when Tadeo Allende headed home from an Ian Fray assist, putting Miami firmly in control.

Messi then sealed the win deep into stoppage time, capitalizing on a loose ball after Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis failed to hold on to a cross from the left. The Argentine superstar calmly slotted home to make it 3-0 before Hany Mukhtar pulled one back for Nashville in the 11th minute of added time — a mere consolation.

The win gives Miami a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, with Game 2 set to be played in Nashville on November 1.

The night also carried emotional weight off the pitch, coming just a day after Messi signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Florida until 2028.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who presented Messi with his Golden Boot trophy before the match, was full of admiration for the Argentine’s impact on American soccer. “I don’t think we ever could have imagined that Leo would have been able to deliver for this club, for this city and for this league the way he had,” Garber said.

“He has reset the trajectory for Major League Soccer, and we were already doing pretty well. And I think having three more years is just going to be another gift,” he added.

(IANS)

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