Sports
Inter Miami Sets MLS Single-Season Points Record After Messi Hat-Trick
Inter Miami CF achieved a monumental milestone on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when they defeated the New England Revolution 6-2, setting a new Major League Soccer (MLS) single-season points record.
Lionel Messi was pivotal in this achievement, scoring a hat-trick that contributed to Miami’s comeback from an initial 2-0 deficit. Messi entered the match in the 58th minute and immediately made an impact, assisting on Benjamin Cremaschi‘s decisive goal. He then scored three of Miami’s six unanswered goals by the end of the match.
The Miami team, now holding a record of 22-4-8 with 74 points, surpassed the previous points record set by New England Revolution in 2021, which was 73 points. This victory not only secured the record but also ensured Miami clinched the Supporters’ Shield, aiming now to capture the MLS Cup.
Luis Suarez also played a significant role, scoring twice within a four-minute span in the first half, and providing two assists. Both Messi and Suarez concluded their first full MLS seasons with 20 goals. Messi also accumulated 16 assists in 19 matches, while Suarez had nine assists over 27 games.
On the other side, Luca Langoni and Dylan Borrero scored for the Revolution. However, the New England team’s season ended on a disappointing note with a four-match losing streak. They finished 14th in the 15-team Eastern Conference with a record of 9-21-4 and 31 points.
Despite the loss, Langoni gave New England an early lead just two minutes in, and Borrero extended the advantage in the 34th minute after a mistake by Miami’s goalkeeper, Drake Callender. However, Miami dominated possession with 65.8 percent and outshot their opponents 25-8, ultimately breaking through New England’s defense.
Messi’s three goals occurred between the 78th and 89th minutes, the final goal being a standout moment when Suarez crossed the ball to Messi, allowing for an impressive finish.
Inter Miami’s first playoff match is scheduled for Friday against the winner of the Eastern Conference wild-card match between CF Montreal and Atlanta United.
