Messi scores twice as Inter Miami win MLS Shield

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-2 win against Columbus Crew to help the club to win the MLS Supporters’ Shield for the first time.

The Argentina playmaker opened the scoring with a close-range finish and doubled the away side’s lead in first-half stoppage time with a sublime free-kick.

Crew winger Diego Rossi halved the deficit in Ohio before former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez restored Inter Miami’s two-goal lead and they held on after Cucho Hernandez’s penalty.

Miami’s victory means the club will finish top of the table and have won the Supporters’ Shield – which is given to the MLS club with the best regular season record – for the first time since they debuted in 2020.