Messi was one of eight Inter Miami players away on international duty, but Gerardo "Tata" Martino's team showed their strength in depth as they extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.

"If you love Cristiano Ronaldo, you don’t have to hate (Lionel) Messi. We have both changed the history of world football,” Ronaldo said during an interview during with Record, a Portuguese newspaper.

Messi, who recently left Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami, is in with a chance of succeeding Karim Benzema and winning the Ballon d'Or for the eighth time in his remarkable career after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar last year

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami face the MLS champions as their bid to make the playoffs takes them to Los Angeles on Sunday.

Coach Lionel Scaloni's 32-man squad also features stalwarts including Angel Di Maria, who returned to Benfica this year, and defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Second-half goals from Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez lifted Cincinnati to a 2-1 victory at Atlanta, where Colombian Edwin Mosquera's first MLS goal had put the hosts ahead in the 10th minute

It was Messi's 11th goal in all competitions since joining Miami (6-14-3, 21 points) July 15 and sealed the club's first win since May 13. Before Messi sealed the win, Miami had been 0-8-3 in its previous 11 MLS matches

Miami trailed 2-0 with 22 minutes left before Messi whipped in a free-kick from the left which was headed home by Leonardo Campana

"Very happy to get the first title in this club's history. Everyone's hard work and commitment made it possible. Hopefully this is just the beginning," Messi posted on Instagram

Messi overtook former Barcelona teammate Dani Alves who had won 43 trophies in his career.

Messi had put Miami ahead in the 24th minute with a wonder strike into the top corner but Fafa Picault levelled for Nashville in the second half

The trio emerged as the leading vote-getters from a jury comprised of coaches of clubs in UEFA competitions, those in charge of European national teams and a select group of journalists

Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino played down injury concerns over Lionel Messi on Monday as the resurgent MLS club prepared for a Leagues Cup semi-final clash with Philadelphia.

Messi scored in his third consecutive match for Inter in a 3-1 victory over Orlando City last week, helping them move into the last 16 of the tournament.

Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja says his team's defeat to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami on Wednesday was a "circus" and said that the Argentine should have been sent off.

Both finishes came from close range from the Argentine who made it three wins out of three at a team which was winless in 11 league games before his arrival.

The seven-times Ballon d'Or winner and recently crowned World Cup-winning Argentine captain, faced a number of potential pitfalls when he joined the last-placed club in Major League Soccer

The Argentine World Cup-winner was handed his first start for his new club after coming off the bench and grabbing a 94th-minute winner in Friday's game against Mexican club Cruz Azul

Martino also confirmed that World Cup winner Messi will be the new captain of Inter Miami

Miami's 20,000 capacity stadium was close to full despite a huge thunder storm just before the event to celebrate the arrival of the Argentine World Cup winner was due to begin.