Football Legend, Lionel Messi has once again made history with a 60th career hat-trick and a second since joining the MLS, as he secured a top-three finish for Inter Miami in their last game of the regular MLS season against Nashville SC.
His hat trick today brings his tally for the season to 29 goals and 16 assists in just 27 outings, which is the best outing ever for a player in a single season of the US top flight football.
Summary of the Game
The first goal at Geodis Park came in the 34th minute through Messi giving the visitors the lead which was short lived as Sam Sturridge was able to level for the hosts with just two left to the halftime whistle. Nashville got a stroke of luck as they took the lead shortly afterwards from a Jacob Schaffelburg effort in the stoppage time of the first half.
With Miami now trailing, it was up to the Argentine skipper to put on the usual show as he spurred his side on with several attempts of which he got a breakthrough in the 63rd minute from a spot kick. Just moments after that, Balthasar Rodriguez was able to put the visitors in front before Messi completed his hat trick in the 81st. 22 year old Venezuelan midfielder, Telasco Segovia then sealed off the victory late in the game in a selfless manner.
Speaking in an interview after the game, Inter Miami defender Ian Fray expressed his delight in Messi saying he (Messi) was an obvious advantage to Inter Miami every night.
“It’s so obvious that he gives us an advantage every night. There aren’t enough words to say about him.
“Towards the end of the game, our quality took over and we won the game.
“We have some of the greatest players to ever play the game here. Whoever we’re going to play, we have the same mindset,” the defender said.
Meanwhile, Nashville coach, B. J. Callaghan accrued their loss to his side’s failure to boxing Messi saying, “We didn’t do a good enough job defending Messi, especially in the final 24, 25 yards. I think he was able to find spaces in the combinations.”
“If you give him chances on the top of the box, he’s going to take them.
“That was a playoff game and we’ve earned our way into the playoffs. We look forward to playing Miami again. Overall on the game it was a tale of two halves, and there are going to be some learning lessons we take from the second half,” he added.
Inter Miami have now ended the regular season with 19 wins, 7 draws and 8 defeats putting them in third place in the Eastern Conference after Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati, will take on sixth-seeded Nashville again in the first round of the MLS playoffs on the night of October 24 at the Chase Stadium.
