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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 teammate 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 teammate 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.
Messi came on as a substitute in Friday match against Cruz Azul
and his game winner on a set piece in the dying second of the
contest made for a dream start in MLS for the 36-year-old, a
seven-times Ballon d'Or winner who led Argentina to World Cup
glory last year.
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.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Christian
Schmollinger)
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