Messi scores two as Miami clinch MLS Supporters' Shield
Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami beat the defending Major League Soccer champions the Columbus Crew 3-2 to clinch the Supporters' Shield awarded for the best regular season record.
Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami beat the defending Major League Soccer champions the Columbus Crew 3-2 to clinch the Supporters' Shield awarded for the best regular season record.
Messi had been subdued until the 45th minute when he put Inter ahead - chesting down a long ball into the box and getting a lucky bounce off Crew defender Malte Amundsen before poking home. Minutes later, Messi made it 2-0, taking advantage of a poorly assembled wall to curl a laser-precision free-kick into the corner past the stationary Columbus keeper Patrick Schulte.
Messi, who recently returned from a two month injury absence, has now scored 17 goals and produced 15 assists in 17 matches But 20 seconds after the start of the second half, Columbus pulled a goal back when the ball fell to Diego Rossi just inside the box and he cleverly curled his shot into the far corner.
Straight from the restart, Columbus gifted Miami a third when Schulte raced off his line but with defender Rudy Camacho in his way, he dropped the ball to Luis Suarez who headed into the unguarded goal. The Crew battled back again though and made it 3-2 through a Cucho Hernandez penalty after Noah Allen handled in the box.
But once again, the momentum Columbus had gained was lost when Camacho was sent off for a second yellow card after a studs up challenge on Federico Redondo. Seven minutes from the end though, the Crew had a glorious chance to grab a point - and deny Miami their celebration - when a penalty was awarded for handball against Ian Fray after a VAR review.
But this time Colombian Hernandez's penalty was weak and Miami keeper Drake Callender dived to his right and saved to secure the Shield for his team. "I'm happy to achieve the first goal and think about what's coming. Today was a very tough opponent. We knew it, they are the last champion, of the Leagues Cup. They are a great team," Messi told Apple TV.
"(Although they were) down a man, we suffered until the end and that shows what this team is," he said.