Major League Soccer has lauded Lionel Messi’s 83rd-minute winner for Inter Miami against the New England Revolution as “pure cinema.” The pivotal goal, struck low into the bottom left corner past goalkeeper Matt Turner, sealed a 2-1 victory at Gillette Stadium, where a crowd of 54,112 witnessed the spectacle. This strike marked the 937th goal of the Argentine’s senior career and his 107th for the Herons. It settled a 2-1 win at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night in front of 54,112 spectators.
The match turned in the 53rd minute when New England’s Peyton Miller bypassed Gonzalo Lujan, pulling the ball back for Ilay Feingold, who flicked it to Daniel Gazdag for a clinical finish. It presented Daniel Gazdag with the chance to tuck away a first-time finish from eight yards.
Miami responded in the 69th minute after Telasco Segovia lofted a ball into a crowded box. Messi reached the pass between two defenders, nodding it perfectly for Germán Berterame to head home. A late potential equalizer by the Revolution was eventually disallowed by VAR due to an offside call against Luca Langoni.
The decisive play unfolded when Messi regained possession 30 yards out, evaded closing defenders, and drove into the box. A return pass from Segovia set the ball for Messi’s left foot to secure the result. The victory pushed Inter Miami to second in the Eastern Conference with 59 points from 33 matches, guaranteeing the club a spot in the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Following the match, Inter Miami head coach Cristian González praised the forward’s clinical impact.
This performance brought Messi’s season tally to 26 MLS goals, currently the highest in the league, alongside 16 assists. Across six career meetings with New England, he has now accumulated eight goals and six assists, including five multi-goal contribution games. As he competes for a third straight MVP award and a second consecutive Golden Boot, Messi will lead his team into their next fixture against Charlotte FC on November 7. Tied for second among the league’s best creators, he also has 16 assists.
