FORT LAUDERDALE: Lionel Messi scored two first-half goals and assisted on another in the second to lead Inter Miami to a 4-0 dismantling of Atlanta United and advance to the knockout stage of the Leagues Cup on Tuesday.

After coming off the bench to score a dramatic game-winner in his debut on Friday night, the World Cup champion from Argentina wasted no time in his first start with the MLS side.

The team captain received a lovely lofting pass from former Barcelona team-mate Sergio Busquets and, after initially hitting the post, fired home his own rebound to put Miami up in the eighth minute to roars of approval from the home crowd.

Messi slotted home a second in the 22nd minute on a diving cross from team-mate Robert Taylor, who notched a brace of his own on a hot night in Miami.

After scoring, Messi stopped and pointed from the field at the team co-owner David Beckham, who was watching the game. The gesture was met with a wide smile from the former Manchester United great who helped lure Messi to the MLS despite a massive counter offer from Saudi Arabia.

Atlanta’s best chance at getting on the scoreboard came with a late penalty kick from Thiago Almada but Miami keeper Drake Callender read it perfectly to preserve the clean sheet.

Messi and fellow Argentinian Almada hugged when Messi was subbed out in the 78th minute and the pair exchanged jerseys after the match.

With the win Miami have now won their group in the Leagues Cup tournament, which is a World Cup-style tournament featuring all teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Miami, bottom of the MLS standings, had not won for 11 league games prior to Messi’s arrival, but looks utterly transformed by his impact, together with Busquets.

“Their arrival has given the players a lot of confidence,” said Miami’s Argentine head coach Gerardo Martino, who ten years ago coached the pair at Barcelona.

“The players feel more supported, they feel that the responsibility is carried by the great players and so they feel more liberated to play.”

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2023