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Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi was happy to help the Herons defeat LAFC 3-1 in their MLS face-off at the BMO Stadium on Sunday (September 3).
Inter Miami have been on a phenomenal run of form since signing the trio of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Tata Martino and Co. went on a winning streak of nine games, winning the Leagues Cup and reaching the final of the US Open Cup.
The Herons' impressive run came to an end in the MLS on August 30 after they drew 0-0 to Nashville at home. They were aware that they had to get back to winning ways against LAFC in order to boost their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.
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LAFC dominated the first half but were unable to score with Denis Bouanga failing to beat Inter Miami's Drake Callender several times. The away side took the lead in the 14th minute against the run of play via a Facundo Farias goal.
Inter Miami regained some control of the game in the second half. Lionel Messi assisted Jordi Alba, who scored in the 51st minute to double the Herons' lead. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was able to get his second assist of the game when Leonardo Campana scored in the 83rd minute to seal all three points.
Ryan Hollingshead was able to score a consolation goal in the 90th minute for the hosts with the game ending 3-1.
Lionel Messi gave his thoughts on the game and said (via @MLSes):
"We were fortunate to win a tournament and reach a final. Now we are going to try to reach the top eight to get into the playoffs. This is the way forward, we continue to grow... I feel good physically."
Inter Miami are currently 14th in the MLS Eastern Conference with 25 points from 25 matches. They are currently eight points away from a playoff spot, with nine games to go in the regular season.
They next face Sporting KC at home on September 9.
LAFC vs Lionel Messi's Inter Miami: Exploring the stats from MLS clash
Lionel Messi was instrumental in Inter Miami securing a tense 3-1 win against LAFC.
The Herons just about edged LAFC in possession, enjoying 52% of the ball. They also completed 441 passes with an accuracy of 79%. In comparison, the hosts completed 391 passes with an accuracy of 81%.
LAFC were much more industrious in attack, landing a total of 22 shots. However, they were unable to make the most of their opportunities, with only six being on target, scoring just one goal. In contrast, Miami had nine shots with six being on target.
