5 Games, 10 Goals: Lionel Messi Extends Sensational Scoring Streak
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lionel Messi extended his historic streak to five straight multi-goal games, and Inter Miami snapped Nashville SC's 15-match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win on Saturday night.
Miami (11-3-5) won its fifth straight match and moved to fifth in the Supporter's Shield standings as it aims to win the title for the second-straight season.
Messi entered Saturday's match as the only player in Major League Soccer history with four straight multi-goal games after scoring two in Miami's win over the New England Revolution on Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}And he wasn't done.
The 38-year-old opened the scoring Saturday on a free kick in the 17th minute.
Then, after Nashville tied it early in the second half, Messi put his side back on top with a steal and score in the 62nd.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Messi now has 16 goals in 16 MLS matches this season, which is tied with Nashville’s Sam Surridge (16 goals in 21 matches) for most in the league.
Nashville (12-5-5), which had won five straight entering the match, had jumped to third in the Supporter's Shield Standings during its unbeaten streak that went back to mid-April across all competitions. It was also the longest active streak of its kind in MLS and Nashville’s best stretch in its six-season club history.
On his first goal, Messi bent a low free kick through Nashville's wall of defenders — a spectacular kick from the nine-time Ballon d’Or winner that gave him 55 goals in 66 Inter Miami matches.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hany Mukhtar scored the equalizer early in the second half. Andy Najar sent a cross into the box that Mukhtar headed past Oscar Ustari to tie the match in the 49th.
Messi then scored with ease after capitalizing on a gaffe by Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis, who mistakenly made a pass directly to Messi for the go-ahead score.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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