Lionel Messi scored twice to help Inter Miami secure a 4-1 victory against hosts CF Montreal on Saturday.

This was Miami's first MLS game in over a month, due to their participation in the Club World Cup. The team was eliminated last week after a 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Javier Mascherano's team showed no signs of being affected by that disappointing loss as they secured their third consecutive MLS victory.

Owusu gave Montreal a 1-0 lead in the second minute. Messi missed a pass and Owusu, unmarked, collected the ball at the top of the box before striking it through the legs of goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and into the back of the net.

Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois got his hands up to deny the visitors from a corner in the 13^(th) minute, and two minutes later he got his fingertips to a Jordi Alba shot, deflecting it off the right post and out.

In the 20^(th) minute, Sirois came off his line into the penalty area and slid to deny Télamo Allende a clear chance, and in the 27^(th) minute he came out to the edge of the box to block Telasco Segovia's shot.

Miami finally broke through in the 33rd minute. Messi passed to Allende outside the top right of the box and Allende took a couple of strides before firing a shot into the net to make it 1-1.

Messi then put Miami ahead 2–1 in the 40^(th) minute. Advancing up the right side, the Argentinian player cut inside towards the middle of the box and curled a low shot into the bottom far corner.

Segovia made it 3–1 in the 60^(th) minute when he fired a strike from outside the box that grazed the underside of the crossbar and landed in the net.

Messi scored his second goal of the match with a stunning solo effort two minutes later. Starting near the halfway line, he twisted and turned his way past several Montreal defenders before firing a shot high into the net.