Lionel Messi delivered another masterclass on Saturday night, scoring twice and assisting once as Inter Miami dismantled fellow Eastern Conference contenders Columbus Crew 5-1 at Chase Stadium.
The Argentine superstar orchestrated the rout, setting up Tadeo Allende for the 13th-minute opener before pouncing on a defensive error to net his first of the night just two minutes later.
Columbus, missing first-choice goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, saw stand-in Nicholas Hagen gift Messi a second opportunity in the 27th minute, which he gladly converted with a sublime chip to make it 3-0.
Luis Suárez added to the tally after the break, capitalizing on sustained pressure from the hosts, while Fafa Picault put the game completely out of reach with a fifth.
Cesar Ruvalcaba’s second-half strike for Columbus proved nothing more than a consolation in an otherwise one-sided affair.
