Lionel Messi continues to redefine brilliance in Major League Soccer. The Argentine superstar scored twice to lift Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium, helping Miami win its second straight match and climb to fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Inter Miami (10-3-5, 35 points) capitalized on Messi’s relentless form to outlast the Revolution (6-8-6, 24 points), who remain winless in their past five outings and sit in 11th place in the East.
Messi, fresh off a two-goal, one-assist performance in a 4-1 triumph over CF Montreal last weekend, now has four goals and an assist since Miami returned to MLS action after being eliminated in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup on June 29. Remarkably, Messi became the first player in MLS history to record multiple goals in four consecutive league matches — all resulting in victories for Miami.
His first strike came in the 27th minute, a testament to Messi’s predatory instincts. After New England failed to clear a dangerous ball inside their own box, Messi pounced on a loose header and buried a quick, low shot past Revolution goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic, giving Miami a 1-0 lead.
The second goal, ultimately the match-winner, arrived in the 38th minute thanks to a moment of magic from longtime Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets. Moving past midfield, Busquets threaded a pinpoint pass through two New England defenders, sending Messi into space. In full stride, Messi calmly slotted the ball just inside the far post, leaving Ivacic no chance and putting Miami ahead 2-0.
Messi’s latest performance increased his MLS season tally to 14 goals, trailing only Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge (16 goals) on the league scoring chart. Across all competitions this season, Messi has now amassed 20 goals.
New England showed resilience, cutting the deficit in the 79th minute. Carles Gil controlled a loose ball at the top of the penalty area and fired a precise shot past Miami keeper Oscar Ustari, reigniting hope for the home side. The Revolution applied late pressure, ultimately outshooting Miami 16-13 overall and 6-3 on shots on target, but the visitors’ defense — anchored by Ustari — held firm through the final minutes and five minutes of stoppage time.
With the victory, Inter Miami solidifies its place among the East’s playoff contenders. They’ll return to Chase Stadium to host Nashville SC on Saturday night. Meanwhile, New England, looking to snap its five-match winless streak, will travel to face Austin FC the same evening.
For Messi, the night further cemented his transformative impact on MLS — and kept Miami’s upward trajectory alive.
