Lionel Messi scored twice and added an assist to lift Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over Nashville SC in the opening game of their first-round MLS playoff series on Friday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Tadeo Allende also scored for third-seeded Miami, which has now defeated sixth-seeded Nashville in six consecutive matches across all competition.

A seventh straight win on Nov. 1 in Nashville would wrap up the best-of-three series with a game to spare and help erase some of the sting of Miami's surprising playoff exit to Atlanta United at this stage last season.

Hany Mukhtar scored a very late consolation goal on a direct free kick for Nashville, which also took a 5-2 defeat to Miami on the final day of the regular season last Saturday.

Messi has now surpassed his scoring output from his enti

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