Messi scores twice vs. Columbus Crew as Inter Miami wins MLS ...

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Soccer legend Leo Messi makes kids' lifelong dreams come true

Soccer legend, Lionel Messi, and his Inter Miami teammates thrill kids with a meet and greet at a special event in Miami, Florida through Make-A-Wish.

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Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami squad is Major League Soccer's best regular season team in 2024.

Messi scored two goals, Luis Suarez added another and Inter Miami withstood a second-half comeback attempt by the defending champion Columbus Crew to win 3-2 and clinch the MLS Supporters’ Shield on Wednesday night.  

It’s the second title of the Messi era for Inter Miami, the club that began MLS play in 2020 and gained worldwide attention with Messi’s arrival in July 2023.

Messi helped Inter Miami win Leagues Cup 2023 shortly after his arrival last year, and clinched the 46th title of his storied career by helping Inter Miami win the regular-season title in his first full season with the club.

Messi tapped his first goal in with his left foot in the 45th minute, and scored a patented free kick that bended into the net just before halftime (45+4’) to give Inter Miami a 2-0 lead before a dramatic second half.

Suarez scored his team-leading 18th goal in the 48th minute, two minutes after Crew star Diego Rossi opened the second half with a goal. Crew leading scorer Cucho Hernandez scored a penalty kick in the 61st minute, but his penalty kick to tie the game in the 84th minute was denied by Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender. The stop decided the match.

The game lived up to its billing as the best game of the MLS season thanks to the Crew’s persistence — but Messi’s greatness left its mark.

Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion and two-time Copa America champion, played in his fifth game since returning from a right ankle injury he suffered during the Copa America final in July.

Messi scored three goals in his first four games, but still received that criticism for looking tired, and needing more time to get back into shape. He was even partially blamed for Inter Miami entering the match after three straight draws, as the club lacked collective rhythm working their star back into the lineup.

Messi may indeed still need some time to round into the form we’re used to seeing from the world’s greatest player before the MLS Cup Playoffs, but he was more than good enough for Inter Miami in Columbus.

As much as Messi helped Inter Miami secure the MLS Supporters’ Shield, his teammates deserve plenty of praise for their work in keeping the club atop the MLS standings for most of the season.

Inter Miami was 11-2-3 (W-L-D) without Messi this season, earning 33 of their 68 points. From June 15 to Aug. 31, Inter Miami played 10 games without an injured Messi and won nine of them (27 points).

Inter Miami has two games remaining – Saturday at Toronto and Oct. 19 at home against the New England Revolution – to contend for the MLS record for points in a season. Inter Miami has 68 points after the Crew win and would reach 74 with two more wins. The record set by the Revolution in 2021 is 73 points.

More important, Messi and Inter Miami secured home-field advantage during the MLS Cup Playoffs, where a third title potentially awaits.

Check out these game highlights from USA TODAY Sports:

Cucho Hernandez went right again. This time, Drake Callender followed him.

The Crew had a chance to tie it another penalty kick, but Callender’s save in the 84th minute has kept this score 3-2 in favor of Inter Miami.

Crew defender Rudy Camacho was sent off in the 64th minute after receiving his second yellow card for a questionable tackle on Inter Miami's Federico Redondo. The Crew will play the rest of this match with 10 players instead of 11.

Cucho Hernandez has scored in the 61st minute for the Crew on a penalty kick, following a handball by Inter Miami.

That’s three goals in the second half already by both teams, and we’re back to a one-goal lead for Inter Miami.

Luis Suarez has scored for Inter Miami, tapping in a goal after Crew goalie Patrick Schulte collided with a teammate. It created a loose ball opportunity and a 3-1 lead for Inter Miami.

Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy could only put his hand on his head in disbelief.

Crew star Diego Rossi was the beneficiary of a breakdown defensively by Inter Miami, scoring a goal in the 46th minute as the second half got underway.

Messi showed once again why he's the world's greatest, scoring a free kick in extra time (45+4') before halftime to give Inter Miami a 2-0 lead against Columbus Crew.

Lionel Messi has scored in the 45th minute as Inter Miami takes a 1-0 lead over Columbus Crew.

Messi was able to tap in the goal with his left boot past Crew goalie Patrick Schulte just before halftime.

Christian Ramirez, one of the Crew’s star players, lined up a right shot that bended just outside the right side of the net in the 34th minute.

Messi waved his finger in the air in disapproval. Inter Miami coach Tata Martino had his hands raised in disbelief. Inter Miami had a goal disallowed because of a player offsides. It would have been an own-goal by Columbus.

Columbus attacker Mo Farsi is now being tended to by trainers after colliding into Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets in the 26th minute.

Columbus nearly got off to a 1-0 lead, but Cucho Hernandez was just a step or two ahead of the Inter Miami back line. He was ruled offsides after finding the back of the net in the 8th minute.

Both teams have traded possession during the first five minutes, with Messi securing at least one clearance for Inter Miami already. These clubs are ball dominant, so it's going to be interesting to see which one pushes the envelope to control the ball in this one.

The Inter Miami match against Columbus Crew will be broadcast by FS1 in the United States.

The match will also be available for live stream via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

The match will begin at 7:45 p.m. ET (8:45 p.m. Argentina time)

Yes, Lionel Messi is expected to start and play for Inter Miami against Columbus Crew tonight.

Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy pregame interview

The message from Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy: “We deserve to be here. The most important thing for me is a good performance,” he said in a pregame interview.

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino pregame interview

The key to the game from Inter Miami's Tata Martino: “We have to be consistent for 90 minutes,” he said through a translator before the game.

It will be Messi’s first game against the Crew, although both teams played each other twice already this season. And it will be Messi’s fifth game since returning from his Copa America right ankle injury.

“My players, yeah, they know that Miami is coming with Messi, and we know that this is a good game for both teams,” Crew coach Wilfred Nancy told reporters Tuesday. “This is good for the league, obviously. This is good for everyone.”

Messi has scored three goals in four games, but Inter Miami has secured three straight draws during the span as the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner improves his conditioning. It left some media wondering if Inter Miami has played better without Messi when it won 9 of 10 matches before his return.

“I am happy to have the best player in the world with us. And well, adapting to that won't be a problem,” Inter Miami assistant Javier Morales said.

Messi is indeed starting for Inter Miami. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs:

Inter Miami 4, Columbus Crew 3: Messi may have heard the talk about Inter Miami playing better without him before his injury return, and makes a statement to deliver the club the MLS Supporters' Shield title. Messi scores two goals with an assist to Luis Suarez, and Matias Rojas will score for Miami against the Crew. Columbus might have tired legs in its seventh match in 24 days, while Miami will play its fifth in the same span. — Safid Deen, Lionel Messi reporter for USA TODAY.

Inter Miami won at home 2-1 in June was Messi was away during Copa America, and the Crew won 3-2 in August with Messi injured en route to winning Leagues Cup 2024.

The way how Columbus won was emphatic: Christian Ramirez scored in the 67th minute, while Diego Rossi scored a brace in the 69th and 80th minutes to steal the victory.

Inter Miami sits atop the MLS regular season standings with 65 points with three games remaining. A win tonight would give Inter Miami 68 points, and no other club would be able to reach that mark, giving them the Supporters’ Shield. If Inter Miami wins out, it would set a new MLS record with 74 points. A loss to Columbus would force Inter Miami to win its final two games to win the Shield.

Columbus Crew is in third with 57 points, but has four games remaining. A loss against Inter Miami would tap the Crew to 66 points if they win their final three games. A win against Inter Miami, however, opens a path to a maximum of 69 points.

LA Galaxy is second with 58 points with three games remaining. Three more wins would give the Galaxy 67 points.

➤ Inter Miami CF clinches Supporters' Shield with:

➤ Charlotte FC clinches playoff berth with:

• Win
• Draw, and Toronto FC loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and New England Revolution loss or draw, and Atlanta United loss or draw
• Toronto FC loss or draw, and New England Revolution loss or draw, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and D.C. United draw

➤ Los Angeles FC clinches home-field advantage in Round 1 with:

• Win, and Real Salt Lake loss, and Houston Dynamo FC loss or draw, and Colorado Rapids loss or draw, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC draw

➤ Minnesota United FC clinches playoff berth with:

• Win
• FC Dallas loss or draw

➤ Portland Timbers clinch playoff berth with:

• Win
• Draw, and FC Dallas loss or draw

MORE: MLS scores and fixtures

Heading into MLS Matchday 36, these would be the MLS playoff matchups through the first round …

EASTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Clinched playoff spot: Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC

Wild-card match:

• Toronto FC (No. 8 seed) vs. Philadelphia Union (9)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

• Inter Miami CF (1) vs. Toronto FC-Philadelphia Union winner
• Columbus Crew (2) vs. Charlotte FC (7)
• FC Cincinnati (3) vs. New York Red Bulls (6)
• Orlando City SC (4) vs. New York City FC (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Clinched playoff spot: Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo FC, LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Wild-card match:

• Minnesota United FC (No. 8 seed) vs. Portland Timbers (9)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

• LA Galaxy (1) vs. Minnesota United FC-Portland Timbers winner
• Los Angeles FC (2) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7)
• Real Salt Lake (3) vs. Houston Dynamo FC (6)
• Colorado Rapids (4) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (5)

MORE: 2024 MLS standings

A total of 18 teams qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine finishers from each conference. The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference will play in wild-card matches. The top seven seeds qualify for the Round 1 best-of-three series. Here is the playoff schedule:

• Oct. 3: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
• Oct. 26-Nov. 10: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
• Nov. 23-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
• Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
• Dec. 7: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

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