FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi had a goal in each half and added an assist to help Inter Miami clinch home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a 4-0 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday night.
Messi found the net in the 39th minute when he took a pass from Baltasar Rodríguez and scored to put Inter Miami (18-7-8) up 1-0 at halftime.
Jordi Alba, who has announced he will retire at the end of the season, made it 2-0 seven minutes into the second half with his sixth goal. The 36-year-old defender has 11 goals and 27 assists in 64 appearances — all with Miami. The club honored Alba with a ceremony following his final regular-season home match.
Messi notched his 18th assist on Alba’s goal, tying him with Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC for the league lead.
Luis Suárez made it 3-0 in the 61st minute, scoring unassisted for his 10th goal to go with 10 assists.
Messi capped the scoring in the 81st minute with an assist from Alba — his 13th.
It was the league-leading 26th goal of the season for Messi, who leads 2023 Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC by two goals and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge by three with one match left in the regular season.
Messi’s 44 goal contributions are the second most in a single season in league history. Only LAFC’s Carlos Vela had more with 49 in 2019.
Rocco Ríos Novo finished with three saves in his sixth start of the season for Inter Miami. It was the third clean sheet for the 23-year-old.
Jayden Hibbert, 21, saved six shots for Atlanta United (5-16-12) in his eighth career start. Hibbert had three of his four first-half saves — two on shots by Messi — over a 10-minute span to keep it scoreless through the first 21 minutes.
Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati both have 62 points in the battle for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Inter Miami closes out the regular season on Saturday with a Decision Day match at Nashville SC, while Atlanta United will finish against visiting D.C. United with last place in the East on the line.
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