Messi assist helps Inter Miami start MLS Cup play with victory

Higuain scores as Inter Miami wins home leg of playoff series

Inter Miami CF picked up a 3-0 victory over CF Montreal in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinal series thanks to a Lionel Messi assist and a Gonzalo Higuain strike.

With the win, Inter Miami takes a three-goal advantage into the second leg of the series, which will be played in Montreal on Sunday, October 23.

Messi's assist came in the 42nd minute, when he played a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Higuain, who made no mistake from close range.

Higuain added a second goal in the 64th minute, this time finishing off a cross from Leandro Gonzalez Pirez.

Inter Miami's third goal came in the 79th minute, when substitute Emerson Rodriguez scored from a rebound after a shot from Bryce Duke was saved by Montreal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza.

The win was Inter Miami's first in the MLS Cup playoffs, and it marked the first time that Messi has provided an assist in an MLS game.

Inter Miami will now look to close out the series and advance to the Eastern Conference final when they travel to Montreal for the second leg on Sunday.