Inter Miami CF beat the New England Revolution 2-1 on Sunday in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as Lionel Messi once again provided the decisive touch, securing his team’s place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The win also moved Miami past the Revs into second place in the Eastern Conference, with one regular-season game remaining.
“It makes me very happy for the players and for the club, we are on the side of contributing things,” Miami manager Cristian González said after the game. “We are at a club that is in continuous growth, I have players committed to us. We needed to win and we challenged ourselves on what kind of team we wanted to be.”
Revolution Lead Early, Then Miami Responds
The Revolution controlled much of the first half, registering six total shots and five corner kicks while generating an expected goals figure of 0.75. Neither side could break through, and the match went into the break tied 0-0.
Dániel Gazdag opened the scoring in the early minutes of the second half, connecting with Ilay Feingold inside the box before finding the back of the net.
Miami answered in the 69th minute. Germán Berterame scored, set up by a deft backward header from Messi. González then strengthened his attack after the equalizer by bringing on Luis Suárez, who had started Miami’s previous 25 games.
“We knew we were going up against a rival that tries to seek out duels where they defend high, so the possibility of changes was to have depth, look for the spaces, and the one-on-one matchups. We struggled with ball possession, which at times was very passive,” said González. “My message to the players is I need everyone. In this case, we believed we needed to make some changes.
“This doesn’t mean this is the team that’s going to start the playoffs. Everyone shows me they’re eager to want to play.”
Messi Delivers the Winner
Messi put Inter Miami ahead, dribbling past defenders outside the box and smashing a trademark low, left-footed shot past Revs goalkeeper Matt Turner.
The Revolution nearly pulled level when Ian Fray put the ball into his own net, but the goal was quickly ruled offside, keeping Miami ahead.
Messi’s strike ultimately clinched Inter Miami’s spot in the 2027 Champions Cup. Had Miami lost or drawn, the club would have needed to win on Decision Day on Nov. 7 to qualify for North America’s top club competition.
“I have no doubt that he’s the best of all,” González said of Messi. “None of them can compare to him when it comes to respect for his colleagues. Leo at his age and what he does, from my point of view, deserves the MVP and also the Ballon d’Or. I hope he can achieve it.”
Champions Cup Picture and Playoff Implications
Inter Miami now joins Nashville SC, the Revolution and the Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. The winner of the 2026 MLS Cup will also earn a place in the competition.
The Herons have 59 points from 33 games. They will finish the regular season at home against Charlotte FC, a result that will have seeding implications ahead of the MLS playoffs.