Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.
Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende's goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami's triumph.
"I want to congratulate Leo for the game he played," Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. "He was the first one who guided us in high pressure. To see him press like that at 38 years old is crazy. We all know about Leo with the ball, but what happened with Leo without the ball today was impressive."
Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first round series 2-1 to book a second round match against FC Cincinnati, who defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.
"The team played an almost perfect game," Mascherano said. "There are always things to improve, but we were at a very high level in all lines, very intense from the first minute, very organized and very good in high pressure."
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.
"It would have been very unfair to be eliminated at this stage," Mascherano said. "What happened last year it had remained a bit in the atmosphere and you could feel that fear that it could happen again. And now there is nothing better than looking forward."
In the night's other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second round match against Sunday's winner between Portland and San Diego.
Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week's loss at Nashville.
MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.
Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.
Allende's first goal was from point blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.
At Cincinnati, Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.
"It's going to be a very tough conference semifinal," Mascherano said. "We were below in the regular season but in the second leg we played here I was left with very good feelings."
Minnesota moves on
At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.
Seattle equalized at 3-3 on a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.
Minnesota's Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball but stayed in the match.
Morris hit the crossbar in the second round and in sudden-death rounds Thomas made two saves but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post and Osaze De Rosario's shot being saved by Minnesota's Dayne St. Clair.
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year St. Clair scored in the 10th round and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.
