Messi Goals Lift Inter Miami Over New England in Late Surge

Lionel Messi finished with a goal and an assist as Inter Miami defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 on Sunday night in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The visitors trailed late in the match but completed a rally to overtake New England in the Eastern Conference standings. This result places Miami in second place with one regular season game remaining on the schedule.

The scoreline reflects a shift in team momentum for the visitors. Inter Miami improved its overall record to 16 wins, six losses, and 11 draws. The victory represents the team's 10th win on the road this season. That total is three more than any other club in Major League Soccer. New England dropped to 18 wins, 11 losses, and four draws at home. The loss ended a four-game winning streak for the home side.

Goalkeepers Dayne St. Clair and Matt Turner kept the score level during the first half. Each keeper recorded two saves before Dániel Gazdag broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute. Gazdag received passes from Ilay Feingold and 18-year-old Peyton Miller before scoring his second goal of the season in 11 appearances. Feingold recorded his fifth assist of the year, while Miller reached a career high with his ninth.

Inter Miami equalized in the 69th minute when Germán Berterame scored. Messi and Telasco Segovia combined to create the chance for Berterame, who now has 10 goals and 10 assists in his debut season. The goal marked Messi's first goal contribution in three matches. Segovia continues a strong campaign with 12 assists, a career high for the midfielder.

Messi decided the match in the 83rd minute. Segovia provided the assist for the winning goal, which was Messi's 26th of the year. He leads the league in scoring and ties for second in assists with 16. His 42 total goal contributions lead the competition by nine. St. Clair finished with three saves, helping maintain Miami's away record of 10 wins, four losses, and three draws.

The teams met in April for a 1-1 draw in Miami. Inter Miami will finish its regular season on Saturday by hosting Charlotte FC. New England will travel to Orlando to face Orlando City in its final regular season fixture on the same day.