Lionel Messi has enjoyed a record-setting spree for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
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The Argentine great scored a goal and had five assists as Inter Miami trounced the New York Red Bulls 6-2 in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night - with the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner as the game's best player setting no fewer than three league records.
The six goal contributions, five assists and five assists in a half were all new marks for the MLS.
Messi, who earned the MLS Player of the Month Award for April, has now scored and assisted in six consecutive league matches.
"It has become redundant but it appears that he is always making history," Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino said. "If something was missing, it was this - to contribute in six goals."
Luis Suarez had three goals and Matias Rojas scored twice as Inter Miami got six unanswered goals to come back from a 1-0 halftime deficit.
Messi and Suarez now have a league-leading 10 goals each, helping keep Inter Miami (7-2-3, 24 points) atop the Eastern Conference.
The win extended Miami's unbeaten string to six. The streak began after a 4-0 loss at New York on April 20, in which Messi did not play because of an injury.
"When he is not available, obviously, the team feels it," Martino said.
Australian Associated Press
