Inter Miami CF beat the New England Revolution 2-1 on Sunday in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with Lionel Messi once again providing the decisive touch. His goal secured his team’s spot in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The win also lifted Miami past the Revs into second place in the Eastern Conference, with one game remaining in the MLS regular season.
Revolution Strike First After the Break
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. The match still went to halftime tied 0-0.
Dániel Gazdag broke the deadlock in the opening minutes of the second half, connecting with Ilay Feingold inside the box before finding the back of the net.
Messi Turns It Around
Germán Berterame answered for Miami in the 69th minute, finishing a chance set up by a deft backward header from Messi. Miami manager Cristian González then strengthened his attack 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,” González said. “We struggled with ball possession, which at times was very passive. My message to the players is I need everyone. In this case, we believed we needed to make some changes.”
Messi then doubled Miami’s lead by dribbling past defenders outside the box and smashing a trademark low, left-footed shot past Revs keeper Matt Turner.
The Revolution nearly pulled level again, but an own goal by Ian Fray was quickly ruled offside, preserving Miami’s advantage.
Champions Cup Spot Secured
Messi’s goal ultimately clinched the 2027 Champions Cup place for Inter Miami. Had Miami lost or tied, it would have needed to take care of business on Decision Day on Nov. 7 to qualify for North America’s top club competition.
“It makes me very happy for the players and for the club, we are on the side of contributing things,” 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.”
González also praised the Argentine star. “I have no doubt that he’s the best of all,” he 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.”
Inter Miami 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.
Miami now has 59 points from 33 games. It closes the regular season at home against Charlotte FC, a match with seeding implications ahead of the MLS playoffs.