Lionel Messi had two goals, including a stunning 79th-minute winner, to give Inter Miami a victory in new interim coach Guillermo Hoyos’ first match in charge Saturday.
Mexico striker Germán Berterame also scored as Miami beat the Colorado Rapids 3-2 in front of a crowd of 75,824 — the second-highest attendance in MLS history — at Empower Field at Mile High.
It was Miami’s first game since Javier Mascherano stepped down as coach Tuesday, just four months after guiding the club to its first MLS Cup title.
Hoyos, whose relationship with Messi dates back to his time working at Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy more than 20 years ago, was put in charge of the first team for “the upcoming matches,” moving over from his current role of sporting director.
“It has been a beautiful experience because there are players of immense quality here including the greatest player in history,” Hoyos said in a news conference.
“I was excited on many occasions, because football truly is all about that emotion and passion.”
Messi opened the scoring when he converted a penalty kick in the 13th minute, before his late go-ahead goal. After a Colorado turnover near midfield, Messi cut back near the right corner of the penalty box and struck a rising shot that split a pair of defenders and slipped inside the back post.
Messi has seven goals this season, tied with Sam Surridge and Petar Musa for most in MLS.
Asked how he approaches coaching his fellow Argentine and the record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Hoyos responded: “The best coach in the world is actually out there on the pitch. We coaches are merely guides.”
Miami (4-1-3) is now seven games unbeaten and hasn’t lost since a season-opening 3-0 defeat to LAFC.
Miami midfielder Yannick Bright was shown a straight red card in the 87th minute for using “offensive, insulting, abusive language heard by the referee,” the Professional Referee Organization, which oversees MLS referees, confirmed to ESPN. According to the PRO pool report, Bright used the phrase b—- ass n—a.”
“Honestly, I don’t know, and I was certainly surprised, by the sending off,” Hoyos said when asked about the reason for the expulsion.
Bright drew a penalty conceded by Joshua Atencio, and Messi converted from the spot to open the scoring.
Mateo Silvetti, along the right end line, played an arcing cross to the back post, where Berterame slammed home a header to make it 2-0 in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time.
Berterame scored his first MLS goal last time out in a 2-2 tie with the New York Red Bulls.
Rafael Navarro scored in the 58th minute for the Rapids. The 26-year-old forward scored two goals in last week’s 6-2 win over Houston and has six goals this season.
Darren Yapi subbed on for Hamzat Ojediran and, moments later, scored on the counterattack to make it 2-2 in the 62nd minute.
ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
