Messi scores twice, Inter Miami beats Nashville SC 3

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored twice to increase his Major League Soccer-leading total to seven and also had an assist to lead Inter Miami over Nashville SC 3-1 on Saturday night.

Messi had his second two-goal game in MLS after scoring two against Orlando on March 2. He has a goal or assist in each of the six league matches he’s played, missing four because of injury.

Sergio Busquets scored his first goal with Miami since joining former Barcelona teammate Messi last summer. Luis Suárez, another ex-Barcelona teammate, assisted on Messi’s first goal.

“Very happy that the goal helped the team win the match,” Busquets said in Spanish. “What matters is the team and the victory. Today, I managed to score but the ultimate accomplishments are the positive results for our team.”

Miami (5-2-3, 21 points) is unbeaten in five matches against Nashville since Messi’s arrival. Miami also remained in first place in the Eastern Conference.