Argentine football legend Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami beat defending Major League Soccer champions the Columbus Crew 3-2 to clinch the Supporters’ Shield awarded for the best regular season record.
Messi, 36, entered the field in the 45th minute ans immediately put his club ahead, chesting down a long ball into the box and getting a lucky bounce off Crew defender Malte Amundsen before netting his first goal.
Minutes later, the eight-time Ballon d’Or award winner scored the second goal with a laser-precision free-kick into the corner, past the rival team’s keeper Patrick Schulte, AFP reported.
However, Columbus pulled a goal back when the ball fell to Diego Rossi after the secod half.
Soon, Columbus gave Miami a third goal 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 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.
Inter Miami is set to clash with Toronto FC on Saturday before players depart for the international break with Messi joining Argentina for their World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia.
