Lionel Messi of Inter Miami continued to show off his exceptional form on Wednesday, scoring in his third straight game in a 3-1 victory over Orlando City. His Major League Soccer (MLS) squad has advanced to the League Cup's last 16.

The start of the game was delayed by 95 minutes due to a rainstorm. However, Messi dominated the field from the start, scoring in the seventh minute. Starting from the halfway line, Messi sprinted into the area and was met by a fantastic chip from Robert Taylor over multiple defenders. He skilfully chested the ball down and fired a shot from the edge of the six-yard box.

Orlando responded quickly, with Uruguayan midfielder Cesar Araujo scoring from a corner kick to equalize the score. Messi, though, took control of the game right away and scored in the seventh minute.

During a counter-attack in the 72nd minute, Taylor and Martinez set up Messi for another close-range strike. Taking full advantage of the situation, the unmarked Argentine left little room for error and easily outplayed Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Messi's fifth goal in three games came after a great performance in the tournament's group stage against Cruz Azul and Atlanta United. Araujo's final attempt to equalize for Orlando in the ninth minute of injury time was rejected after a VAR found a case of offsides.

Following this victory, Inter Miami will face FC Dallas, who defeated Mazatlan, a Mexican club, 2-1. While Inter Miami's victory against Orlando was encouraging, Messi's performance and steady scoring streak, in particular, have been the main aspects of their League Cup campaign.

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