At 38, Lionel Messi can still learn new tricks. In a rare flash of direct play, the Argentine’s clever assist set the tone in a 3-1 win over a stubborn D.C. United – giving Miami their first winning streak in MLS since July. Still, it wasn’t as straightforward as Messi and Co. hoped, with Christian Benteke making things interesting in the second half.
With the Herons breezing past an expected contender in the Seattle Sounders on Tuesday, D.C. United – 14th in the Eastern Conference – were expected to be a softer test at home. Yet with a week’s rest, René Weiler’s side came out compact and organized, denying Miami the spaces they prefer to play in.
Breaking down a stubborn United required creativity, and of course, it came from Messi. In the 35th minute, he spotted Tadeo Allende charging ahead 35 yards in front of him and delivered a pinpoint long ball. The 27-year-old finished with ease for 1-0. For Messi – whose legacy was built on tiki-taka’s short, intricate passing – it was atypical, but effective given United’s shape.
D.C. struck back early in the second half as Belgian striker Christian Benteke scored a diving header in the 52nd minute and marked it with a LeBron celebration. They continued to press, but Miami found their response in the 66th minute. Jordi Alba slipped Messi through on a classic combination, and the Argentine buried it past Luis Barraza. Miami nearly sealed it minutes later when a penalty was awarded after Barraza dragged down substitute Mateo Silvetti, but the teenager – given the spot kick by Messi – struck the crossbar.
The Herons also escaped a scare when Baltasar Rodríguez was booked just outside the area, narrowly avoiding a penalty call. And in the final 10 minutes, Messi dazzled once more. He beat three defenders, missing his first shot, then getting the ball back from Sergio Busquets – Miami’s third of the night. D.C. would get one more goal, from Jacob Murrell, but it came too late in the final minute of extra time.
With the win, Javier Mascherano’s side remain fifth in the East, but with three games in hand on the Union, who sit eight points clear.
