Inter Miami secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against the New England Revolution in an away match during the 33rd round of the Major League Soccer (MLS). The result was driven by Lionel Messi, who contributed both a goal and an assist to secure the win for the Florida-based club.
The match saw the home side take the lead early in the second half. Daniel Gazdag opened the scoring for New England in the seventh minute of the period. However, Inter Miami responded quickly; at the 23rd minute, Messi headed the ball inside the area, setting up Mexican forward German Berterame to equalize with a header of his own.
The decisive moment arrived in the 37th minute when Messi engineered the winning play. Advancing individually through the center, he combined with Venezuelan player Telasco Segóvia before striking powerfully to score the goal that sealed the victory for Inter Miami.
This triumph has significant implications for the standings, propelling Inter Miami to second place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. The team surpassed New England, which now sits in third place with 58 points. Nashville remains the leader of the conference with 74 points.
On a personal note, this goal marked Messi's 937th official career tally across his club and Argentina national team appearances. The 39-year-old star, who has already retired from international duty, now needs 63 more goals to reach the milestone of 1,000 career goals.
Sources: Globo Esporte.