Fort LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Tadeo Allende and Jordi Alba each scored two goals, with Lionel Messi having three assists and Intermiami defeating the New England Revolution 4-1 on Saturday night.
Messi has 24 goals and 17 assists, making his 41 goals the second most in MLS history. Carlos Bella had 49 (34 goals, 15 assists) for Los Angeles FC in 2019.
Miami (17-7-8) finished third in the Eastern Conference, with 59 points, three in second place, Cincinnati and third ahead of Charlotte and New York City. Philadelphia, all MLS points leader, has 66 points.
Allende ran to the unappearing pass that Messi played first, scoring from the right corner of the 6-yard box, and slid inside the back post to open the scoring in 32 minutes.
Alba gave Miami a 2-0 lead in the first half stoppage time. Messi stole an incorrect first touch pass by a goalkeeper at the corner of the area, quickly cut to avoid the defender near the penalty spot, and slid the pass to Alba for a finish from the point blank range.
Dor Turgeman scored his first career start in the MLS, scoring for New England in the 59th minute, but after a while, Arende held back the defender and cleared up the long arc ball-ahead played by Messi to make it 3-1 in 60th, with Alba’s second goal scoring in 63 days.
Turgeman, 21, made his debut when he fell to the 56th minute of the revolution 2-0 They will win Atlanta last Saturday.
Miami has broken the revolution 2-1 July 9th.
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