Lionel Messi scores 4 goals, adds assist to lead Inter Miami to 7-1 romp over Montreal

MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi scored three times in the second half to finish off his first four-goal effort in MLS play while adding an assist, and Inter Miami scored six unaswered goals in a 7-1 romp over CF Montreal on Saturday night.

Messi snapped a 1-1 tie in the 40th minute when he found the net for the 15th time, scoring off a free kick.

The reigning Golden Boot Award winner and league MVP scored for a 3-1 lead in the 52nd minute. His 17th and 18th goals of the season came in the 83rd and sixth minute of stoppage time with the final one also coming off a free kick. Messi began the day two behind Petar Musa of FC Dallas in the goals race.

Carlos Casimiro scored with a header off a corner kick by Telasco Segovia in the 20th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal for the 34-year-old midfielder in his sixth league appearance and a career-best ninth assist for Segovia in his second MLS season.

Montreal tied it in the 37th minute on a goal by Fabian Herbers — his first of the campaign.

Luis Suárez scored his 11th goal with an assist from Messi — his 10th — for a 4-1 lead in the 80th minute and 18-year-old rookie Alexander Shaw made it 6-1 in the 89th with his first goal in three appearances and 37 minutes of play.

Dayne St. Clair finished with three saves for Inter Miami (12-4-6), which finished August with a 1-2-2 record after a fifth straight victory over Montreal.

Thomas Gillier saved five shots for Montreal (5-11-6).

It was Inter Miami's first victory since beating Montreal 1-0 on the road to close out July. Suárez won that one on a penalty kick in the 81st minute.

Montreal: At Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

Miami: Hosts Atlanta United on Saturday.

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Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with forward German Berterame (19), and midfielder Alexander Shaw (88) after scoring his third goal of the match, his side's fifth, during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, scores his third goal of the match, his side's fifth, past CF Montreal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier (31) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

CF Montreal defenders watch as a free kick by Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, not pictured, sails past them to score the side's seventh goal in stoppage time and end their MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, battles with CF Montreal defender Brayan Vera (4) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez scores his side's fourth goal past CF Montreal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier (31) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

TORONTO (AP) — Nicolás Fernández scored his 14th goal this season and Matt Freese had five saves for New York City FC on Saturday night in a 1-1 tie with Toronto FC.

NYCFC (7-8-7) are winless in five straight.

Only Leo Messi (18) and Petar Musa (16) have more goals in MLS than Fernández this season.

Fernández, from a center-right position, darted to his left and then rifled a low shot between two defenders and inside the right post from near the top of the penalty arc to make it 1-0 in the 29th minute.

Dániel Sallói subbed on in place of Derrick Etienne Jr. in the 55th minute and scored in the 70th. Theo Corbeanu, on the counter-attack, ran onto a long ball-ahead from Alonso Coello just outside the right edge of the penalty box and played a first-touch cross to Sallói for a tap-in finish that made it 1-1.

Toronto (5-7-10) is unbeaten in its last five games — beginning with a 2-1 victory home win over New England on Aug. 15 that snapped a 12-game winless streak — and has one loss in eight games since the World Cup break.

The teams also played to a 1-1 tie July 31 as Yankee Stadium.

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New York City FC's Nicolas Fernandez, center, celebrates after scoring against Toronto FC during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto FC's Alonso Coello, left, vies for the ball with New York City FC's Nicolas Fernandez, second from left, during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York City FC's Nicolas Fernandez (7) dribbles past Toronto FC's Kobe Franklin (left) during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)