Messi wins 46th trophy as Miami clinch MLS Supporters’ Shield

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to a 3-2 win over Columbus Crew, securing the Supporters’ Shield and marking his 46th career trophy win.

 

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ionel Messi leads Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew, securing the Supporters’ Shield and marking his 46th career trophy win.

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to a thrilling 3-2 victory against the Columbus Crew, securing the Supporters’ Shield for the best regular-season record.

 

Also read: Messi named Time’s ‘Athlete of the Year’

 

Messi opened the scoring in the 45th minute, chesting down a long ball before benefiting from a deflection off defender Malte Amundsen to poke home.

Minutes later, Messi doubled the lead with a perfectly placed free-kick past Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.

Despite a second-half resurgence from Columbus, including a goal from Diego Rossi and a penalty from Cucho Hernandez, Messi’s Miami held firm.

 

 

The win marks Messi’s 46th career trophy and solidifies Inter Miami’s dominant season. Goalkeeper Drake Callender made a crucial penalty save to ensure Miami’s triumph.

Messi, who returned from a two-month injury, now has 17 goals and 15 assists in 17 matches. With the MLS Cup playoffs approaching, Messi emphasised that the Supporters’