Miami: Lionel Messi delivered a dominant performance on Saturday night, playing a part in all five goals as Inter Miami dismantled Columbus Crew 5-1 at home.

The Argentine legend scored twice, in the 15th and 24th minutes, bringing his season tally to 10 goals, the most for Inter Miami and tied for third in Major League Soccer. He also registered assists on goals by Tadeo Allende in the 13th minute and Fafà Picault in the 89th and played a key role in Luis Suárez’s 64th-minute strike.

It marked the second consecutive match in which Messi recorded at least two goals and an assist. With 15 goal contributions this season, he now leads MLS in combined goals and assists.

Inter Miami started aggressively, registering seven shots, four on target, within the first 25 minutes against a typically stingy Columbus defence that had allowed just 19 goals all season.

Messi’s pinpoint long ball set up Allende for the opening goal, which the midfielder finished with a clinical cross-body strike. Minutes later, Messi capitalised on a poor decision by goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen, lofting a shot over him despite a touch from the keeper.

His second goal came courtesy of another perfectly timed long pass from Sergio Busquets — the second straight game in which the former Barcelona duo combined for a goal, as Messi raced through and finished with precision past Hagen.

It was an important win for Miami, which entered Saturday with just two wins in its past eight matches and was sixth in the Eastern Conference. Miami beat Montreal 4-2 on Wednesday, and Saturday’s win over Columbus put last year’s Supporters' Shield winner in third place with 29 points in their final match before the start of next month's Club World Cup.

Miami will face Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium, the home stadium of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. Before that, Messi will join the Argentina national team for World Cup qualifiers against Chile on June 5 and Colombia on June 10.

Columbus made it 3-1 when Dylan Chambost’s corner was headed home by Cesar Ruvalcaba against goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo, who replaced Oscar Ustari in the second half. Suarez restored Miami's three-goal lead with his second goal in as many matches.

Messi fed a through ball to Picault in the closing minutes, stamping one of Miami's most dominant wins of the MLS season. AP