Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) kicks the ball to score a goal as New England Revolution defender Xavier Arreaga, left, defends during the second half of an MLS soccer match. | Photo Credit: AP
On-fire Lionel Messi scored his second hat-trick of the week and Luis Suarez scored twice as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to smash MLS’s regular season points record.
Miami’s win, in their final game of the regular season, took them to 74 points — one more than the previous record, set by New England in 2021.
Messi, who came off the bench in the 58th minute and led the late flurry of goals, has now scored 20 goals in 19 appearances in MLS with his former Barcelona team-mate Suarez also notching 20, from 27 games.
The challenge of breaking the record added some spice to the final game of the regular season with Inter having already secured the Supporters’ Shield for the best record in the regular season to stamp themselves clear favourites in the MLS Cup playoffs which start next week.
Miami had trailed 2-0 before Suarez scored twice before half-time to send Gerardo Martino’s team in level at the interval.
Goals from Argentine Luca Langoni and Colombian Dylan Borrero in the 34th minute had the home crowd chanting for Messi’s introduction from the bench but it was Uruguayan Suarez who began the comeback.
A firm left-foot finish from the former Liverpool and Barcelona striker, pulled one back, after good work from David Martinez.
Then Suarez levelled with a fine solo finish, making space for himself and switching to his right foot before drilling home.
Messi, who had scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday, came off the bench in the 58th minute and immediately helped put the team ahead finding Jordi Alba who set up Benjamin Cremaschi for a tap-in.
New England thought they had drawn level with a goal from striker Bobby Wood but the effort was disallowed for handball following a VAR review.
Messi then made it 4-2, collecting a back-heeled pass from Suarez before brilliantly blasting into the far bottom corner.
The Argentine was on target again when he latched on to a superb pass from Jordi Alba and made no mistake and then he completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute when he met a volleyed cross from Suarez with a precise first time finish.
Messi’s three goals came within an 11-minute spell and after his two month injury absence after the Copa America he now looks back to his best.
Ideal situation
“After the major injury we had to be very careful with his recovery and reintegration into the team and both the national team and ourselves here were very careful with that issue,” said Martino.
“I have the feeling that we have him in an ideal situation to face the most important part of the year,” added the Argentine.
Martino said that while Miami needed to cut out some of their errors, the squad head into the playoffs on a high after breaking the points record.
“For the team this is another boost of confidence. These 74 points were not something we had planned, or had as a goal when the season started, but when it was in front of us we tried to go for it,” he said.
At the post-game celebration of the Supporters Shield success, club co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas were joined by FIFA president Gianni Infantino who announced that the Shield had earned the team a place in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Elsewhere in the last round of the regular season in MLS, Montreal clinched a place in the playoffs with a 2-0 win over New York City.
The victory secured eighth place in the Eastern Conference and the Canadian side will play ninth-placed Atlanta United in the wildcard round on Tuesday for a chance to play Miami in the first round.
Atlanta took the final spot in the East with a 2-1 win at Orlando City.
Published – October 20, 2024 09:06 am IST
