Messi’s Golden Boot Double Completed
Inter Miami’s veteran attacker Lionel Messi was awarded his second consecutive MLS Golden Boot accolade on Saturday, despite the reigning champions settling for a 3-3 draw against Charlotte on the final day of the regular season.
Although the fifth time ballon’dior winner did not score, he provided an assist for the first two goals at Miami’s Nu stadium, both from corner kicks, to help his side capitalise on home-field advantage for the first two playoffs rounds.
Messi’s record of 26 goals in the current campaign was enough to seal the individual award, granting him to be the first back-to-back MLS Golden Boot winner. He was followed by Petar Musa of Dallas on 22 goals, who did not find the back of the net in his club’s 3-1 win over Colorado.
Ian Fray, Luis Suárez, and Rodrigo De Paul fired past three efforts for Inter Miami in the first half, shortly after break, Liel Abada’s two goals sparked a comeback that was sealed by Rodolfo Aloko’s late strike.
Miami ended as runners up in the East on 60 points, as third place New England flopped to capitalise on Inter’s stalemate, with a surprise 1-0 defeat to Orlando to end on 58.
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