The statement performance of the night came on Wednesday night, with Inter Miami crushing New York City FC with a resounding 4-0 win at Citi Field to technically ensure their entry into the MLS Cup playoffs.
The game has shown how the club is developing in terms of chemistry and depth, with Lionel Messi performing yet again with a world-class performance. In the 43rd minute, Miami ended the stalemate as Baltasar Rodriguez completed an eloquent attacking move engineered by Sergio Busquets and Messi and scored his second goal of the season.
Having rested, Messi moved into a higher gear and amazed the audience with his classic calmness. In the 74th minute, he caught the goalkeeper off his guard with a stunning chip, and the Argentine superstar took the lead 1-0. Twelve minutes later, he increased his tally with another smooth teamwork.
These objectives propelled Messi to the top of the MLS Golden Boot, with the striker now at 24 goals, two ahead of the LAFC adversary, Denis Bouanga. Luis Suarez, returning after a three-match ban, completed the job by confidently putting away a late penalty, giving him a personal five-goal total in the season.
Busquets played the midfield position with precision, made two assists, and dictated the flow of the game. Miami’s winning streak has been extended because they now lead their rivals 10-3 in their past four games, which still gives them a chance to win the Supporters’ Shield.
The Herons are still only five points behind Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia, with two games in hand, and it is going to be a thrilling conclusion to the regular season. Meanwhile, the three-match winning streak of NYCFC was violently terminated and they had not scored in the first league game in 10 games, which dropped them to the fifth place in the East.
