Lionel Messi propelled Inter Miami to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew, earning the Supporters’ Shield for the best regular season record in Major League Soccer (MLS).
This win marks Messi’s 46th career trophy, further establishing him as football’s most decorated player.
After a quiet first half, Messi broke the deadlock in the 45th minute, skillfully chesting down a long pass and capitalizing on a fortunate bounce off Crew defender Malte Amundsen to score. Just before the halftime whistle, he struck again, curling a beautifully executed free-kick past Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, putting Miami up 2-0.
Messi, who recently returned from a two-month injury layoff, now boasts an impressive tally of 17 goals and 15 assists in just 17 appearances for Miami.
The second half began dramatically when Columbus quickly responded, with Diego Rossi curling a shot into the far corner just 20 seconds after the restart. However, Miami regained their two-goal advantage almost immediately. Following a chaotic situation involving Schulte and defender Rudy Camacho, Luis Suarez capitalized by heading into an empty net, making it 3-1.
Columbus fought back again, narrowing the gap to 3-2 with a penalty converted by Cucho Hernandez after a handball by Noah Allen. However, the Crew’s momentum was stifled when Camacho received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Federico Redondo.
In a tense finish, Columbus had a golden opportunity to equalize when awarded a penalty after a VAR review found Ian Fray guilty of handball. Yet Hernandez’s weak attempt was saved by Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender, securing the Shield for his team.
“I’m happy to achieve the first goal and think about what’s coming. Today was a very tough opponent. We knew they are the last champions of the Leagues Cup,” Messi reflected post-match. “Even though they were down a man, we suffered until the end, and that shows what this team is made of.”
With this victory, Inter Miami finishes the regular season with 68 points, solidifying their position as the league’s top team. They are poised for the playoffs, where they will have home-field advantage throughout. Messi emphasized that while the Supporters’ Shield is a significant achievement, the MLS Cup remains the team’s primary objective.
“The first objective has been achieved, and now we have to think about what’s next,” he stated. “We are very strong at home.”
In other Eastern Conference action, Charlotte clinched the final automatic playoff spot, while D.C. United kept their wild card hopes alive with a dramatic win against Nashville, scoring twice in stoppage time.
