Messi’s Brace Clinches Supporters’ Shield for Inter Miami
Lionel Messi’s brace propelled Inter Miami to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the reigning MLS champions, the Columbus Crew, securing the Supporters’ Shield for the best regular season record.
Messi, who had been relatively quiet in the first half, came alive in the 45th minute. A long ball into the box found its way to the Argentine maestro, who chested it down and benefited from a fortunate bounce off Crew defender Malte Amundsen before poking the ball home.
Just minutes later, Messi doubled Inter’s lead with a stunning free-kick. Taking advantage of a poorly organized wall, he curled a laser-precision shot into the corner, leaving Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte rooted to the spot.
However, Columbus refused to go down without a fight. Just 20 seconds into the second half, Diego Rossi pulled a goal back with a clever curling shot from inside the box.
Straight from the restart, Miami gifted Columbus a third goal. Schulte rushed off his line but collided with defender Rudy Camacho, dropping the ball to Luis Suarez, who headed into the unguarded net.
The Crew continued to battle and reduced the deficit to 3-2 through a Cucho Hernandez penalty after Noah Allen handled the ball in the box.
But Miami’s momentum was short-lived as Camacho was sent off for a second yellow card after a reckless challenge on Federico Redondo.
With seven minutes remaining, Columbus had a golden opportunity to equalize and deny Miami their celebration when a penalty was awarded for handball against Ian Fray after a VAR review. However, Hernandez’s penalty was weak, and Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender made a diving save to preserve the victory.
The MLS Cup playoffs will determine the ultimate champion, and a potential rematch between Eastern Conference rivals Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew could be on the cards.