Lionel Messi continued his hot scoring streak on Wednesday, netting his eighth goal in five matches to lead Inter Miami to a 4-0 victory over Charlotte FC in the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup.
Inter Miami opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute after Dixon Arroyo was brought down in the box by Harrison Afful. Robert Taylor doubled Miami’s lead in the 32nd minute with a sweeping finish from an assist by DeAndre Yedlin.
Adilson Malanda added to Charlotte’s woes in the 78th minute, scoring an own goal to give Miami a 3-0 lead. Messi capped off the scoring in the 86th minute with his eighth goal of the tournament, keeping up his streak of scoring in every match he’s played for his new team.
The win sends Inter Miami to the semifinals of the Leagues Cup, where they will face the Philadelphia Union on Tuesday. The Union advanced to the semifinals with a dramatic 2-1 win in extra time over Queretaro, thanks to a goal from Chris Donovan.
Messi’s performance on Wednesday was another reminder of his incredible talent. He was involved in all four of Miami’s goals, and he created several other chances that his teammates were unable to finish. If he can continue to play at this level, Inter Miami will be a force to be reckoned with in the Leagues Cup and MLS.
