Messi wins 46th trophy as Inter Miami clinch MLS Supporters’ Shield
Messi netted two goals in the closing minutes of the first half, while goalkeeper Drake Callender successfully saved a penalty kick in the 84th minute, leading Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over the reigning MLS Cup champions, Columbus Crew, on Wednesday night. This victory clinched the Supporters Shield, awarded annually to the team with the best regular-season performance.
This achievement marks Messi's 46th major trophy, further extending his record as the player with the most titles in men's soccer history. It is also the second trophy he has earned with Inter Miami, adding the Supporters Shield to the Leagues Cup, which the team won shortly after his arrival in 2023.
"We recognized that this group had the potential to compete for this," Messi stated.
Luis Suarez also contributed a goal for Inter Miami, which is set to commence a best-of-three first-round playoff series during the final weekend of October. Should the team prevail in that series, it will have the opportunity to host all subsequent matches for the remainder of the season, including the Eastern Conference semifinal (scheduled for November 23 or 24), the Eastern final (November 30 or December 1), and the MLS Cup final on December 7.
Messi remarked to Apple TV following the match, "We have a significant opportunity to etch our names in history... and we are now contemplating the future." He emphasized, "We possess a considerable advantage by playing all our matches at home, which was our objective. I believe we are exceptionally strong in our home games."
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Inter Miami is also in contention for the best regular-season record in MLS history. With Wednesday's victory, Inter Miami improved its record to 20 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws, accumulating a total of 68 points. Should the team secure victories in their final two matches—one against Toronto on Saturday and another at home against New England on October 19—they would conclude the season with 74 points.
New England currently holds the record for the most points in a single season, finishing with 73 in 2021. Messi initiated the scoring in the 45th minute, receiving a long pass from Jordi Alba—his former Barcelona teammate, with whom he secured 35 trophies—and maneuvering past two defenders to slot the ball past Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, establishing a 1-0 lead.
Approximately five minutes into first-half stoppage time, Messi added to the scoreline with a free kick from around 30 yards. Schulte appeared to be deceived, allowing Messi to place the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post, extending the lead to 2-0.
"Dominant," stated Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino.
Diego Rossi reduced the deficit for Columbus with a goal just one minute into the second half, making it 2-1. However, Inter Miami quickly regained their two-goal advantage. Shortly after the restart, Schulte was inadvertently knocked down by one of his defenders, allowing Suarez to head the ball into an unguarded net for a 3-1 lead.
Columbus's Juan "Cucho" Hernández converted a penalty kick in the 61st minute, narrowing the score to 3-2. Yet, the momentum was short-lived as Rudy Camacho received a second yellow card in the 63rd minute, leaving the Crew to compete with only ten players for the remainder of the match.
Despite this setback, Columbus continued to generate significant scoring opportunities as the game progressed.
A deflected ball in the 76th minute traversed the box and reached the right foot of Mohamed Farsi; however, his attempt was thwarted by Callender, who was ideally positioned to maintain the lead.
Subsequently, further excitement ensued when Inter Miami was penalized for its second handball within the box during the second half, resulting in an automatic penalty kick. Hernández aimed for the left side of the net, but Callender executed the save with apparent ease.
This save contributed to the continuation of Messi's efforts.
This marked Messi's fifth two-goal performance of the MLS season, bringing his total to 17 goals in 17 league matches this season. He has been absent for 15 of Inter Miami’s MLS matches in 2024, due to commitments with Argentina’s national team or a two-month recovery period from a severe ankle injury sustained during his country's Copa America title run in July.
In MLS play this season, Inter Miami boasts a record of 10-1-6 with Messi on the field.
“Throughout the year, we faced numerous injuries that prevented us from being together... but the team maximized every challenging game,” Messi remarked.
The Crew and the LA Galaxy entered Wednesday still harboring a mathematical chance to surpass Inter Miami in the Supporters Shield race, while Cincinnati trailed by nine points with nine points still attainable.
However, they are now all competing for second place.
“December 7 is our goal,” Martino stated, referencing the date of the MLS Cup final. “Yet, today’s match holds significance.”
SportsLigue