Messi scores twice, Miami clinches playoff berth

Lionel Messi led the complaint for Inter Miami CF, scoring doubly successful the 2nd fractional to widen his tally to 5 goals successful the past 9 days, securing a 4-0 triumph implicit New York City FC connected Wednesday nighttime astatine Citi Field and a spot successful the 2025 Major League Soccer playoffs.

Miami caput manager Javier Mascherano emphasized that the squad had accomplished an important goal, but it was lone the archetypal measurement for a nine with aspirations to repetition arsenic Supporters' Shield champions.

"We are blessed and with the tranquility of having achieved the archetypal goal, which was to suffice for the playoffs. Now we'll effort to decorativeness arsenic precocious arsenic imaginable successful the standings, which would let america to person home-field advantage," Mascherano said.

Messi had the accidental to grounds a hat-trick erstwhile Inter Miami earned a punishment successful the 83rd infinitesimal but the Herons skipper chose to springiness the accidental to longtime teammate Luis Suárez instead.

"He has done that excessively galore times successful his career. Sometimes helium looks astatine immoderate teammates who haven't scored and request a extremity much than him," Mascherano added.

"He tried to assistance successful this way. For me, it's great. He tried to amusement to everyone the squad spirit, trying to impact each the players and players that possibly successful this lawsuit Luis, needed to score. So it's great."

Messi has managed 2 oregon much goals successful 8 of retired of the past 12 Inter Miami matches, becoming the 4th subordinate successful the past of MLS to grounds aggregate goals successful conscionable 8 games successful a azygous season.

The squad volition present absorption connected the crippled against Toronto FC connected Saturday nighttime arsenic Inter Miami looks to unafraid the 2026 Supporters' Shield.

"We are blessed due to the fact that present we are officially qualified for the playoffs. That was precise important for us, present we person to proceed moving forward," said Mascherano.

"We cognize we person 2 games successful manus truthful we volition effort to remainder and retrieve earlier going to Toronto. We cognize however hard Saturday volition beryllium due to the fact that we person little than 72 hours to play, but we'll effort to play our champion and triumph the crippled and to suffice arsenic precocious arsenic possible. If we tin triumph the 5 remaining games that we person it volition beryllium large and we'll person that accidental to combat for the Supporters' Shield."

Miami presently sits successful 3rd spot connected the Eastern Conference array with 55 points successful 29 games, 2 matches down leaders Philadelphia Union.