Inter Miami secured an MLS playoff place by beating New York City 2-0 at Nu Stadium on 14 October, US local time. VnExpress reports that Lionel Messi assisted Rodrigo De Paul after Berterame opened the scoring. The result also guarantees Miami direct entry into the first playoff round.
Messi supplies the attacking link
Messi helped construct the opening goal after 20 minutes, finding De Paul before Luis Suárez crossed for Berterame to finish. In first-half stoppage time, he supplied De Paul again for the long-range strike that completed the scoring.
The assist took Messi to 13 for the season, leading the competition in the report's statistical comparison. He also leads the scoring race with 23 goals despite failing to score himself in this match.
His sequence of consecutive games with a goal contribution reached 11, including 11 goals and five assists. Miami later hit the post twice, while goalkeeper Dayne St Clair saved a late penalty.
Direct playoff entry is secured
Miami have 52 points, second in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville on 66. The format described gives each conference nine playoff places, with the first seven advancing directly and eighth and ninth contesting a wild-card match.
Miami lead the eighth-placed team by 16 points with five games remaining. Their remaining opponents are Atlanta United, New York Red Bulls, Cincinnati, New England Revolution and Charlotte.
The next visit is to Atlanta on 17 October. Qualification is settled, but Miami's final regular-season position and their subsequent title challenge remain unresolved.