MIAMI — Inter Miami CF snapped its five-game winless streak Saturday in emphatic fashion, dismantling CF Montréal 7-1 behind a four-goal, one-assist performance from Lionel Messi.

It was the perfect response to a chaotic week for Miami, which saw interim manager Guillermo Hoyos replaced and the former Inter Miami coach receive a suspension and the club recieve a fine.

Once the match began, though, all of that off-field drama was forgotten.

Miami dominated from the opening whistle, controlling possession and keeping Montréal pinned in its own half. Within the first 10 minutes, Messi opened up to his left and fired toward the far side of the net, only to see his shot clang off the right post.

The pressure never let up.

Whenever Miami lost possession, the Herons immediately pressed to win the ball back. Montréal had little choice but to absorb the pressure and look for opportunities on the counterattack.

That pressure eventually paid off with a series of corners. Miami earned its first of the match, then another, and then a third.

On that third corner, Telasco Segovia whipped the ball into the box, where Casemiro rose to head it into the back of the net in the 20th minute.

It was Casemiro’s first MLS goal for Miami.

The Herons wanted more.

Miami continued pushing forward after taking the lead, while its defense kept Montréal from creating much of anything. Thirty minutes into the match, Montréal had yet to register a shot.

Then, out of nowhere, the game changed.

Montréal’s first shot took a slight deflection before sneaking into the bottom-left corner, leaving Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair with no chance.

The visitors had tied the match at 1-1, but the deadlock lasted less than a minute.

Miami immediately won a dangerous free kick near the edge of the 6-yard box. And with Messi standing over the ball, the outcome felt almost inevitable.

Messi struck the free kick, which took a slight deflection off a Montréal defender’s foot before hitting the goalkeeper and finding the net, giving Messi his first goal of the match.

Miami was back in front, 2-1.

From there, the match opened up.

The halftime whistle eventually sounded, sending Miami into the break with the lead. But the Herons came out of the locker room looking for more.

They did not have to wait long.

Just minutes into the second half, Messi produced one of the night’s most spectacular moments. The Argentina star took on the Montréal defense, weaving through defenders before creating enough space to fire a right-footed shot past the goalkeeper.

The stadium erupted.

Messi had his second goal of the night, and Miami had a 3-1 lead.

As the match progressed, the pace began to slow slightly, with Miami appearing more interested in controlling the game and protecting its advantage.

Montréal tried to change the momentum in the 60th minute, making several substitutions, including Chilean legend Alexis Sánchez, who made his MLS debut.

Sánchez’s introduction gave Montréal a spark. The visitors began creating more pressure and won a series of corners as they searched for a way back into the match.

In the 72nd minute, Miami briefly thought it might have another opportunity when there was a VAR check for a possible handball. After the review, however, the on-field decision of no penalty stood.

Then Messi took over again.

On a fast break, Messi played a perfectly weighted pass to Luis Suárez, sending the Uruguayan striker in alone against the Montréal goalkeeper. Suárez calmly finished the chance to make it 4-1.

Any hope of a Montréal comeback was fading quickly.

And Messi was not finished.

A mistake by a Montréal defender in the backfield gave Miami another opportunity. Rodrigo De Paul found Messi, who calmly chipped the goalkeeper to complete his hat trick and make it 5-1.

The crowd at Nu Stadium was in full celebration mode.

After five straight matches without a win, Miami fans finally had plenty to celebrate. Messi’s third goal of the night was his 17th of the season and moved him into the lead in the MLS Golden Boot race.

But Miami still had more to give.

The goals continued to come in waves, and this time it was 18-year-old academy prospect Alexander Shaw who joined the party.

Shaw received the ball on his right foot outside the box and fired a shot into the bottom corner for his first goal for Miami.

The score was now 6-1.

The 90 minutes came and went, with the fourth official signaling four minutes of stoppage time.

Even then, Miami was not done.

In the final minute, the Herons won another free kick. As Messi walked toward the ball, the entire stadium erupted into a familiar chant.

“Messi, Messi, Messi.”

Messi answered.

He stepped up and buried the free kick into the back of the net, completing his four-goal performance and putting the finishing touch on a 7-1 rout.

The goal gave Messi 18 goals on the season and sent the Miami crowd into another celebration.

For Inter Miami, it was exactly the kind of response it needed after a difficult week and a five-match winless run.

The Herons now head into their next match against Atlanta United with momentum — and perhaps more importantly, confidence.

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