Inter Miami secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over New England Revolution in their MLS regular-season encounter on Sunday, with Lionel Messi scoring the decisive goal in the 83rd minute.
Both sides approached the match cautiously, knowing the importance of the result in the Eastern Conference standings.
New England occupied second position with 58 points, while Inter Miami followed closely with 56 points. The hosts headed into the encounter on the back of four consecutive league victories, while Miami were seeking a return to winning ways after playing out a 2-2 draw against FC Cincinnati.
Inter Miami started with Messi, Germán Berterame and Riquelme Fillipi leading the attack, while Rodrigo De Paul, Yannick Bright and Telasco Segovia occupied the midfield. Luis Suárez began the match on the bench.
The visitors received an early setback in the 24th minute when defender Gonzalo Luján was booked for a reckless challenge.
Despite creating some attacking opportunities, neither side managed to break the deadlock before the interval, with the first half ending goalless.
New England eventually opened the scoring eight minutes after the restart.
In the 53rd minute, Dániel Gazdag put the hosts ahead, finishing off an assist from Ilay Feingold to give the Revolution a 1-0 advantage.
The goal boosted New England’s confidence, but Miami gradually stepped up their attacking efforts in search of an equaliser.
Their pressure produced a breakthrough in the 69th minute when Berterame fired home from an opportunity created by Telasco Segovia.
The goal was initially subjected to a VAR review before being confirmed, bringing the score to 1-1.
With momentum shifting in Miami’s favour, the visitors continued to threaten as New England struggled to contain their attacking pressure.
Inter Miami eventually completed the turnaround in the 83rd minute when Messi found the net to put his side ahead 2-1.
The Argentine captain once again demonstrated his quality in front of goal, delivering what proved to be the winning contribution for the visitors.
New England thought they had snatched a late equaliser in the 89th minute, triggering celebrations among the home supporters. However, their excitement was cut short after VAR intervened and ruled out the goal.
Miami subsequently held on to their advantage until the final whistle, securing all three points from a hard-fought away encounter.
The victory represents a significant boost for Inter Miami as the 2026 MLS regular season nears its conclusion.
After a goalless first half and falling behind early in the second period, Miami displayed resilience to turn the contest around. Berterame’s equaliser paved the way for the comeback, while Messi delivered the decisive moment.
For New England Revolution, the defeat ends their impressive run of four consecutive league victories and represents a missed opportunity to strengthen their position in the Eastern Conference.
Miami, meanwhile, will take confidence from another influential performance by their attacking stars, with Messi once again proving decisive when it mattered most.