Lionel Messi struck twice and gave two excellent assists to help Inter Miami to a bounce-back 5-1 victory over the host New York Bulls on Saturday night in Harrison, New Jersey.
Messi and Inter Miami (12-4-5, 41 points) erased a 1-0 first-half deficit with a flurry of goals late in the first half — two of them coming off the foot of Telasco Segovia — that staked the Herons to a 3-1 half-time lead.
Miami won its sixth MLS match in its past seven after having a five-game winning streak snapped at Cincinnati on Wednesday.
The Red Bulls (9-9-6, 33 points) failed to string together consecutive wins at home and lost to Inter Miami for the second time this season.
New York scored its lone goal in the 15th minute when Emil Forsberg lifted a corner kick in front of Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo’s line of sight. Alexander Hack then kicked it home for the score despite having defender Federico Redondo draped all over him.
Rios Novo made his second start this season for Oscar Ustari, who sat out with an injury.
Jordi Alba, who exited the game in the 84th minute with what appeared to be a leg cramp, scored his first goal of the season in MLS league play off a cross from Messi in the 24th minute to tie the game1-1.
