Associated Press<\/p>\n
ATLANTA (AP) \u2014 Lionel Messi<\/a> scored two second-half goals 4 minutes apart after a first-half assist, and Inter Miami cruised to a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday night.<\/p>\n Neither team scored until German Berterame<\/a> used assists from Messi and Luis Suarez<\/a> in the final minute of the first half to score his ninth goal in his first 26 MLS<\/a> appearances.<\/p>\n Messi tied Los Angeles FC’s<\/a> Son Heung-min<\/a> for the league lead with his 15th assist, becoming the first player in league history with at least 15 helpers in three consecutive seasons.<\/p>\n Messi added his league-leading 24th and 25th goals in the 56th and 60th minutes for a 3-0 advantage. Berterame assisted on both scores and Su\u00e1rez snagged one on Messi’ second goal.<\/p>\n Messi won the Golden Boot Award last season with 29 goals. He and Josef Martinez<\/a> are the only players in league history to score at least 25 times in a regular season twice. Messi’s 40 goal contributions are nine shy of Carlos Vela’s<\/a> record set in 2019 with Los Angeles FC, and the Miami legend has four matches remaining to break it.<\/p>\n Berterame has eight assists and Su\u00e1rez notched his career-high 11th.<\/p>\n Dayne St. Clair<\/a> had two saves and lost his bid for a clean sheet when Fafa Picault<\/a> scored on a penalty kick in the 89th minute.<\/p>\n