Overview

• Lionel Messi scored two first-half goals in a 2-1 victory over New England Revolution on July 9, extending his streak to four consecutive MLS multi-goal matches.
• He became the first MLS player to record multi-goal outputs in four straight league games, a streak that began before and resumed after Miami’s Club World Cup campaign.
• The win moved Inter Miami into fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 35 points, seven behind leaders FC Cincinnati but with three games in hand.
• Mascherano said he must carefully manage Messi’s minutes as Miami tackles three matches in the next ten days.
• Messi’s 14 goals in 15 MLS appearances leave him two shy of Nashville’s Sam Surridge atop the Golden Boot race and underscore Miami’s push for the playoffs.