Messi scores three targets, secures Golden Boot as Miami beat Nashville | Soccer Information

Lionel Messi’s 29 targets in 28 matches enable the Argentinian star to complete as MLS’s high scorer for the primary time.

Lionel Messi recorded a hat-trick and added an help, whereas Baltasar Rodriguez scored the tie-breaking objective as visiting Inter Miami used a second-half assault to defeat Nashville SC 5-2 in a Choice Day matchup on Saturday night time.

Telasco Segovia additionally scored for Inter Miami (19-7-8, 65 factors), who gained their third straight recreation. Miami would be the No 3 seed within the Japanese Convention playoffs and faces a rematch with No 6 Nashville within the first spherical.

Sam Surridge and Jacob Shaffelburg scored targets for Nashville (16-12-6, 54 factors), which didn’t enable a shot over the primary 34 minutes earlier than being badly uncovered within the second half.

Messi was a transparent winner within the 2025 MLS Golden Boot race, ending the common season with 29 targets. Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga (24 targets) and Surridge (24 targets) have been the next-best. The 38-year-old additionally led the league in assists, with 19.

Rocco Rios Novo made 5 saves for Miami, whereas Nashville’s Joe Willis had 4 stops.

Nashville was nursing a 2-1 lead within the second half till Andy Najar was referred to as for a handball.

Messi took the following penalty kick within the 63rd minute and simply despatched a left-footed shot into the left nook of the online to tie the match.

The objective energised Miami, and it moved forward simply 4 minutes later.

Luis Suarez took a right-footed shot that Willis knocked away. However the ball bounced over in direction of Rodriguez, who despatched a right-footed shot previous Willis to offer Miami a 3-2 lead.

Messi was at it once more within the 81st minute as he booted a left-footed shot into the decrease left nook to make it 4-2.

Within the first minute of second-half stoppage time, Messi had possession and closed in on Willis earlier than feeding the wide-open Segovia, who kicked the ball into the online to complete off the flurry.

Miami outshot Nashville 17-15 and had a 9-7 edge in pictures on the right track.

Nashville dominated play within the first half however led simply 2-1 at halftime.

Miami’s preliminary shot got here on Messi’s objective within the thirty fourth minute. He acquired the ball from Jordi Alba and had three defenders to manoeuvre round earlier than sending a left-footed shot into the left nook of the online.

Nashville responded within the forty third minute when Hany Mukhtar despatched a brief centring go to Surridge, who knocked in a header.

Nashville struck once more within the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time. Mukhtar took a shot that caromed off the best goalpost, and the ball went on to Shaffelburg, who knocked it house to place Nashville forward.