Messi's 26th Goal Propels Miami Past New England
A late strike secured a 2-1 win in Foxborough, moving the visitors to second place in the Eastern Conference with one game left.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
Lionel Messi scored the 26th goal of his season on Sunday night in Foxborough, Massachusetts, to secure a 2-1 victory for Inter Miami over the New England Revolution. The result moved Miami into second place in the Eastern Conference standings, overtaking the hosts with one regular season match remaining.
The first half remained scoreless as goalkeepers Dayne St. Clair and Matt Turner each recorded two saves. The deadlock broke in the 53rd minute when Dániel Gazdag scored for New England. Gazdag received passes from Ilay Feingold and Peyton Miller before shooting past St. Clair. The goal marked Gazdag's second of the season in 11 appearances. It also set career highs for both defenders, with Feingold reaching five assists and 18-year-old Miller reaching nine.
Inter Miami responded in the 69th minute to tie the game. Messi and Telasco Segovia combined to set up Germán Berterame for the equalizer. This marked the first goal contribution for Messi in three matches. Berterame now holds 10 goals and 10 assists in his debut season in Major League Soccer.
The winning goal arrived in the 83rd minute. Assisted by Segovia, who leads the league with 12 assists, Messi struck the ball past Turner. The goal extended Messi's lead in total goal contributions to nine over the next closest player in the competition. He currently has 42 total contributions, combining his league-leading 26 goals with 16 assists.
The victory snapped New England's four-game winning streak. The Revolution finished with a home record of 18 wins, 11 losses, and four draws. They have lost two of their last three home games. Inter Miami improved its away record to 10 wins, four losses, and three draws. This marks the team's 10th road win of the season, three more than any other club in the league.
The two sides previously met in April for a 1-1 draw in Miami. Inter Miami will host Charlotte FC on Saturday to conclude its regular season. New England will travel to Orlando to face Orlando City in its final match on the same day.
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