Rampant Messi hits another hat-trick as Miami break MLS points record / Photo: © AFP
Rampant Messi hits another hat-trick as Miami break MLS points record
On-fire Lionel Messi scored his second hat-trick of the week and Luis Suarez scored twice as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to smash MLS's regular season points record.
Miami's win, in their final game of the regular season, took them to 74 points - one more than the previous record, set by New England in 2021.
The challenge of breaking the record added some spice to the final game of the regular season with Inter having already secured the Supporters' Shield for the best record in the regular season to stamp themselves clear favourites in the MLS Cup playoffs which start next week.
Miami had trailed 2-0 before Suarez scored twice before half-time to send Gerardo Martino's team in level at the interval.
Goals from Argentine Luca Langoni and Colombian Dylan Borrero in the 34th minute had the home crowd chanting for Messi's introduction from the bench but it was Uruguayan Suarez who began the comeback.
A firm left-foot finish from the former Liverpool and Barcelona striker, pulled one back, after good work from David Martinez.
Then Suarez levelled with a fine solo finish, making space for himself and switching to his right foot before drilling home.
Messi, who had scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday, came off the bench in the 58th minute and immediately helped put the team ahead finding Jordi Alba who set up Benjamin Cremaschi for a tap-in.
New England thought they had drawn level with a goal from striker Bobby Wood but the effort was disallowed for handball following a VAR review.
Messi then made it 4-2, collecting a back-heeled pass from Suarez before brilliantly blasting into the far bottom corner.
The Argentine was on target again when he latched on to a superb pass from Jordi Alba and made no mistake and then he completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute when he met a volleyed cross from Suarez with a precise first time finish.
At the post-game celebration of the Supporters Shield success, club co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas were joined by FIFA president Gianni Infantino who announced that the Shield had earned the team a place in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Elsewhere in the last round of the regular season in MLS, Montreal clinched a place in the playoffs with a 2-0 win over New York City.
The victory secured eighth place in the Eastern Conference and the Canadian side will play ninth-placed Atlanta United in the wildcard round on Tuesday for a chance to play Miami in the first round.
N.Taylor--TNT
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