Lionel Messi, 36, exploded for goals again in his first start in an Inter Miami CF uniform.
Messi scored back-to-back goals in the eighth and 22nd minutes of the first half in a League Cup home match against Atlanta United at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday morning (Aug. 26).
Inter Miami went into halftime with a 3-0 lead before Robert Taylor added another in the 44th minute.
Messi started alongside former FC Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets. Messi started at right forward in a 4-3-3 formation. Busquets played in the center midfield.
Messi opened the scoring eight minutes into the game with a left-footed shot from the center of the box, assisted by Busquets, that hit the post, but Messi quickly found the back of the net with a right-footed shot. He followed that up 14 minutes later with a right-footed shot into the net off a pass from Robert Taylor.
Messi previously made his Inter Miami debut in a League Cup match against Cruz Azul (Mexico) on Sept. 21, coming on as a late substitute in the ninth minute and scoring the winning goal with a stunning left-footed free kick four minutes into stoppage time to secure a 2-1 victory.바카라
Messi played alongside Busquets for 13 years at Barça before his move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021, reuniting them on the American stage.