Lionel Messi scored a goal and provided an assist for Jordi Alba in Inter Miami’s 3-1 home win over the Seattle Sounders, which allowed Javier Mascherano’s team to put the last two defeats behind them and resume the race for the MLS lead.
Inter Miami faced the match against the Sounders after losing 3-0 against the same opponent in the final of the Leagues Cup and with the same result against Charlotte, but the reaction of Mascherano’s men was forceful.
We couldn’t go crazy. We knew, above all, that we needed to get back to winning ways
Despite still being a long way from Philadelphia Union’s first place in the East, Inter Miami still have the opportunity to take the lead, as they are eight points adrift, but have three games in hand.
Our goal is to win the last seven games to finish first in our Conference
Mascherano was unable to call upon Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez, who served the second of a three-match suspension handed to him by MLS for spitting at a member of the Sounders’ coaching staff in the Leagues Cup final.
The striker will also have to serve a six-match suspension in the 2026 Leagues Cup.
Thus, Messi led a trident completed by Tadeo Allende on the right and Jordi Alba, invented as a left winger. And Mascherano’s gamble paid off.
A combination between Messi and Alba ended with the goal of 1-0 in the 12th minute scored by the former Spanish international full-back.
Messi, who provided a great assist with the outside of his left foot, could have scored the second goal in the 27th minute, but he missed a one-on-one with a weak shot that was repelled by the left post.
The Argentine made up for that mistake in the 40th minute, when he took advantage of a low cross from Jordi Alba to beat the goalkeeper with a left-footed shot. It was Messi’s 20th goal of the MLS season.
In the second half, Inter Miami sealed the win with a powerful header from Ian Fray and had opportunities to make the score even bigger. Messi had the fourth goal in his boots, but he came up against goalkeeper Frei in a one-on-one.
The Sounders, with no chance of a comeback, scored a consolation goal thanks to Mexican Obed Vargas.
Inter Miami still has three games to make up and has set its sights on the Union’s top spot
Javier Mascherano: “None of us like to see ourselves in this position, because I think the team doesn’t deserve it”
Inter Miami coach, Argentine Javier Mascherano, acknowledged that his team came with the obligation to react.
“We couldn’t go crazy either. We knew, above all, that we needed to get back to winning ways. We needed to get points. And we need to get points,” Mascherano said in a press conference.
“Nobody likes it, beyond having three games less than the rivals, nobody likes to see us in this position, because I think the team does not deserve it,” added the coach.
“Today we won one, we have seven more to go. We have seven finals left. Our goal is to win all seven to finish first in our Conference,” he added
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