Messi scores twice as Inter Miami beats NYCFC, clinches playoff spot
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami stepped onto a rainy field Wednesday night and did something they had never managed.
Inter Miami beat New York City FC on the road — clinching a playoff spot and continuing its push for a second consecutive Supporters’ Shield.
Messi scored twice and a returning Luis Suarez and Baltasar Rodriguez also scored to propel Inter Miami to a 4-0 victory against NYCFC at a wet Citi Field in New York.
The triumph — which marked the South Florida side’s first win in the Big Apple and first shutout since July 26 — improved Inter Miami to 16-6-7. The 55 points from those matches have the Herons five points off of the lead for the Supporters’ Shield with two games in hand.
“We are happy because now we are officially qualified for the playoffs,” said Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano, whose team is on a three-game winning streak. “That was very important for us. ... We will try to finish as high as possible. If we can win the next five games that we have, that will be great, and we will have a chance to fight for the Supporters’ Shield.”
It rained buckets and goals in the baseball venue in Queens, with Messi scoring twice after halftime to take sole possession of the top spot in the MLS Golden Boot race. The Argentine now has 24 goals on the season.
Messi also delivered the game-winning assist to Rodriguez in the 43rd minute on a nice sequence down the middle.
Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets found Messi in between the lines with a nice pass on the play, and Messi proceeded to hit an exquisite through ball to a streaking Rodriguez for a 1-on-1 look that was tucked away.
“Busi is maybe playing the [last games of his career],” said Mascherano of the Spaniard, who in recent days has been linked with retirement at the end of the year. “I do not know how long he will play for, but for me he was one of the best midfielders in the history of the sport. I went to Barcelona to learn from him.
“It’s normal for me when I watch him giving these kinds of passes because he has done it a lot during his long career. Hopefully he is going to help us the rest of the season and in the playoffs because he is a key player for us.”
Messi went from provider to scorer to double the lead on a vintage play in the 74th. Longtime teammate Busquets released the Inter Miami captain with a tremendous through ball from deep, and Messi finished with a classy chip over NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese.
Suarez — was making his first appearance since serving a three-game suspension — got in on the scoring fun nine minutes later. After Rodrigo De Paul was clipped inside the 18-yard box for a penalty, Suarez stepped up to coolly convert from the spot with a low effort to the left.
“[Messi] has done that many times in his career,” Mascherano said of his superstar captain’s decision to pass off the penalty kick to Suarez. “Sometimes when he looks at some teammates that need to score more than him or need a goal more than him, he tries to help in this way.
“For me, it’s great. He tries to show everyone the team spirit by trying to involve all the players and players — like Luis, in this case — who maybe needed to score.”
Messi capped the scoring in the 86th minute, hitting a cross-body finish to the left post seconds after substitute teammate Tadeo Allende skied a chance that could have added to the lead.
NYCFC had two golden opportunities to take the lead in the first half when the game was scoreless, but the hosts failed to capitalize. Brazilian centerback Thiago Martins first had a point-blank header off a corner kick in the 21st minute that was saved by Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. Then, Argentine attacker Nicolas Fernandez’s roller was denied by the right post at the half-hour mark after racing past and cutting by centerback Maximiliano ‘Peluca’ Falcon.
“It’s great news because we did not do this too many times in the season,” Mascherano said of posting a shutout. “... We will try in the next five games to work hard in defense so as to not concede goals because that will be the best way to arrive to the playoffs.”
Mascherano on Wednesday made five changes to the starting lineup, which was deployed in his usual 4-4-2 formation.
Suarez returned to team with Messi up top, Rodriguez and Matteo Silvetti were deployed in the wide midfield positions, and homegrown players Noah Allen and Ian Fray slotted in at left centerback and right back, respectively.
The game marked Allen’s 100th appearance with the Herons.
Inter Miami will continue this two-game road swing on Saturday afternoon with a visit to Canada for an Eastern Conference bout with Toronto FC at BMO Field.
This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 10:26 PM.