Lionel Messi Gendong Inter Miami Again, Score And Assist

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to win over Seattle Sounders at MLS (Instagram/@intermimatif).

JAKARTA - Lionel Messi scored one goal and one assist as Inter Miami beat Seattle Sounders 3-1 on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, more than two weeks after losing to Sounders 0-3 in the League Cup final (Leagues Cup) on August 31, 2025.

Messi provided assists to Jordi Alba who was in free position with an outside pass in the 12th minute to put Herons ahead.

The Argentine superstar almost doubled the score in the 28th minute when he received a cross and once again tried to execute with his outer left leg, but his shot hit the post.

Alba responded in the 41st minute, providing assists to Messi who ran fast and touched the ball perfectly to change the score to 2-0.

Ian Fray then headed home from Rodrigo De Paul's corner in the early minutes of the second half to widen Herons' lead to 3-0.

"I've always been looking forward to it (Messi), he's always looking forward to me. We've created a lot of goals and hope it will continue like that until the end of our career," said Alba.

Obed Vargas scored Seattle's single goal in the 69th minute, as the Mexican international scored on the day of his country's independence.

Miami's Intetr coach, Javier Mascherano, said the victory helped ease the burden of defeat in the Leagues Cup.

"This is clearly an important and necessary win because a few days ago we lost a game that, in my opinion, didn't deserve that heavy result. We've done some good things, especially in the first half."

"Well, it's important, apart from putting all our abilities after that defeat, to try to get back into a good mood, to win a straight win, against a great rival who snatched our chances of winning the (Leagues Cup) tournament a few weeks ago," Mascherano said after the game.

He also said he was trying to frame a record two consecutive defeats. After losing in the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami lost again to Charlotte (0-3) in the Eastern Region's MLS (Major League Soccer).

"Well, the streak. I understand we lost twice in a row and sometimes it feels like a disaster. You see all the bad things and it looks like everything needs to be changed."

"I understand that. I think on the one hand it's good because it raises expectations for us and encourages us to be competitive, to always be vigilant, to never relax."

"We also must not be careless. Today we won one time, there are still seven more games, as I said before."

"We still have seven finals left. Our goal is to win the seven finals to finish first in the Eastern Region."

"That's the goal. We will live it game after game," Mascherano said again.

Inter Miami is back playing without Luis Suarez who underwent the second match of a three-match ban by MLS for spatting on a member of the Sounders coaching staff in the Leagues Cup final.

Mascherano said he had struggled a lot to determine when to play which player.

"Right now, with the players absent, implementing the playoffs mode, if you talk about ways to refresh players, we don't have them."

"Today we have 17 players, including a goalkeeper. As for today, if I want to include (Daniel) Pinterest, I can't play him in the next game because the second team player can only play two games."

"Even strategically, we have to think about it. That's what we have to do. We have gone through a series of suspensions and injuries."

"We have five or six players who are absent. The matches are important and we'll see how their recovery is."

"To this day, we will take advantage of what we have and welcome anyone who recovers. During the transfer market, we will probably lose five or six players."

"So, I don't think we are in a position to consider it, but obviously this is worrying. We are worried and we will try to handle it as well as possible," Mascherano said.

Meanwhile, Messi had a chance to score two goals in the 76th minute, but was thwarted by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

Inter Miami's new player Mateo Silvetti made his debut after arriving from Messi's childhood club, Newell's Old Boys in Argentina.

Inter Miami will continue the struggle in the Eastern Region of MLS to host DC United on Saturday, September 20, 2025 local time.