"Lionel Messi Guides Inter Miami to First Supporters' Shield in Thrilling 3-2 Win Over Columbus Crew"

 

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to its first-ever Supporters' Shield with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night, securing his second title with the club and his 46th overall. Messi's two goals—one a close-range strike and the other a stunning curling free-kick—at the end of the first half helped Miami edge out the Crew to claim the trophy, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.

Luis Suárez, Messi's former Barcelona teammate, added to Miami's lead early in the second half after Columbus cut the advantage with Diego Rossi's goal in the 46th minute. Despite a late penalty from Cucho Hernández, Miami held on for the victory.

“I’m happy for this group. At the start of the year, I told you we had a team to fight for this,” Messi said in a post-game interview with Apple TV. “We took charge from the beginning. I’m happy to secure our first goal, and now we’re focused on the next one.”

This win comes after Messi returned from a three-month absence due to injury and national team commitments. Since rejoining the squad in mid-September, he has scored 17 goals and provided 15 assists in just 17 games. By finishing at the top of the regular-season standings, Miami secured home-field advantage for the upcoming MLS Cup Playoffs.

Inter Miami still has a chance to surpass the New England Revolution’s record of 73 points from the 2021 season, needing to win its remaining two matches. However, the team's ultimate focus will be on winning the MLS Cup.

“So proud to see our players lift the Supporters’ Shield after a great win in Columbus,” wrote Miami co-owner David Beckham on Instagram. “Another amazing achievement for this football club. Now we move on to the next challenge.”