close
close

Latest Post

What happened to Chief Boden on Chicago Fire? Meet his successor taking over Firehouse 51 Lionel Messi's goals help Inter Miami win the Supporters' Shield

play

Lionel Messi and league leaders Inter Miami face defending champions Columbus Crew tonight in the biggest game of the Major League Soccer season. The game can be live streamed on Apple TV in the MLS Season Pass and broadcast on FS1.

What is at stake? Messi and Inter Miami have a chance of winning the MLS Supporters' Shield with a win. It would be Inter Miami's second title of the Messi era after winning the League Cup in 2023.

The Supporters' Shield, awarded to the MLS regular-season leader, would also be the 46thTh title in Messi's eventful career. However, the Crew could delay their regular season title win if they manage to earn a draw against Inter Miami.

Follow live updates from USA TODAY Sports here.

Messi waved his finger in the air in disapproval. Inter Miami coach Tata Martino raised his hands in disbelief. Inter Miami had a goal disallowed due to a player being offside. It would have been a Columbus own goal.

Columbus attacker Mo Farsi is now being looked after by the coaches after he collided with Inter Miami's Sergio Busquets in the 26th minute.

Columbus almost took a 1-0 lead, but Cucho Hernandez was just a step or two ahead of the Inter Miami defensive line. He was ruled offside after finding the back of the net in the 8th minuteTh Minute.

Both teams exchanged possession in the first five minutes, with Messi having already secured at least one free kick for Inter Miami. These clubs are ball dominant, so it will be interesting to see which club pushes the limits to control the ball in this case.

Inter Miami's game against Columbus Crew will be broadcast by FS1 in the USA.

The game will also be available to stream live via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

The game starts 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.

Interview with Columbus Crew coach Wilfred Nancy before the game

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

Interview with Inter Miami coach Tata Martino before the game

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

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

“My players 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 on Tuesday. “This is of course good for the league. This is good for everyone.”

Messi has scored three goals in four games, but Inter Miami have secured three straight draws in that time as the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner improves his conditioning. Some media outlets wondered whether Inter Miami played better without Messi, winning nine out of 10 games before his return.

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

Messi actually starts for Inter Miami. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs:

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

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

The way Columbus won was emphatic: Christian Ramirez scored in the 67Th minute, while Diego Rossi scored a brace in the 69th minuteTh and 80Th Minutes to steal the win.

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 and award them the Supporters' Shield. Should Inter Miami win, it would set a new MLS record with 74 points. A loss to Columbus would force Inter Miami to win its last two games to win the Shield.

Columbus Crew is in third place with 57 points but still has four games left. A loss to Inter Miami would give the Crew 66 points if they win their last three games. However, a win against Inter Miami opens the way to a maximum of 69 points.

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

➤ Inter Miami CF secures the Supporters' Shield with:

➤ Charlotte FC secures playoff spot with:

  • Win
  • Draw and Toronto FC lose or draw, and DC United lose or draw, and New England Revolution lose or draw and Atlanta United lose or draw
  • Toronto FC lose or draw, New England Revolution lose or draw, Atlanta United lose or draw and DC United draw

➤ Los Angeles FC secures home 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 secures playoff spot with:

  • Win
  • FC Dallas lose or draw

➤ Portland Timbers secure playoff spot with:

  • Win
  • Draw, and FC Dallas loses or draws

MORE: MLS results and fixtures

Before MLS matchday 36, these would be the first round MLS playoff games…

EASTERN CONFERENCE

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

Wildcard 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

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

Wildcard 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 Rankings

A total of 18 teams will qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs – the top nine teams in each conference. The eighth and ninth teams from each conference play in wild card games. The top seven finishers qualify for the best-of-three series in the first round. Here is the playoff schedule:

  • Oct. 3: Wildcard games (single elimination games)
  • Oct 26 – Nov 10: Round 1 (Best-of-Three Series)
  • 23-24 November: Conference semifinals (single-elimination games)
  • Nov 30 – Dec 1: Conference finals (single-elimination games)
  • Dec 7: MLS Cup (single winner-only game)

We may occasionally recommend products and services that may be of interest to you. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may receive an affiliate fee. USA TODAY operates independently and this has no influence on our reporting.

On By John Fenwick

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Post