Lionel Messi failed to score as Inter Miami squandered a three-goal halftime lead to draw 3-3 with Charlotte on Saturday in the Major League Soccer regular-season finale, independentespanol.com reported.
The Chicago Tribune noted that the last time Miami let slip a 3-0 advantage at Chase Stadium occurred on May 2, when Orlando City mounted a comeback to win 4-3.
Miami controlled the opening forty-five minutes through Ian Fray, who opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute following a corner kick. Luis Suárez doubled the lead in the thirty-third minute after Germán Berterame flicked on Messi’s corner, and Rodrigo De Paul added a third just before halftime with a strike from outside the box, according to elmercurioweb.com.
Charlotte shifted the momentum entirely after the break. Liel Abada struck twice in five minutes with goals in the fiftieth and fifty-fifth minutes. Rodolfo Aloko completed the comeback in the ninetieth minute, slotting home a rebound after Tyger Smalls rattled the goalpost.
Despite missing out on a win, Messi finished the campaign with twenty-six goals. He remains positioned to become the first player in league history to secure consecutive Golden Boots.
| Team | Conference Position | Final Points |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville | East (Supporters’ Shield) | 77 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | West (1st Place) | 64 |
| Inter Miami | East (2nd Place) | 60 |
Inter Miami secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference with sixty points. New England Revolution dropped to third after a 1-0 loss to Orlando City, who claimed the third pre-seed. Columbus Crew defeated the Chicago Fire 4-3 and will face Miami in the opening round. Chilean player Gonzalo Tapia scored a brace and Spanish player Brasi Méndez added a goal during stoppage time for Columbus in that match, while Paraguayan player Braian Ojeda scored the lone goal for Orlando City against New England. Cincinnati dropped from seventh to ninth place in the East. Philadelphia Union thrashed Toronto 4-1 to secure an automatic berth to a three-game playoff series. New York Red Bulls thrashed Atlanta United 3-0, and New York City FC edged D.C. United 1-0.
In the Western Conference, the Vancouver Whitecaps finished as the second-best team in MLS and first in the West with sixty-four points after beating Montreal 2-0. Saint Louis City claimed the third pre-seed with a 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo. Seattle Sounders booked their postseason ticket by defeating Los Angeles FC 2-1 and will host Real Salt Lake in the wildcard round.
Real Salt Lake qualified by beating Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1, eliminating the Galaxy. Portland Timbers advanced with a 2-0 victory over Austin, setting up a clash with Dallas, who beat Colorado Rapids 3-1 to knock them out of contention thanks to an 88th-minute go-ahead goal from Brazilian player Kaick Ferreira.
Minnesota United defeated San Jose Earthquakes 3-1, though San Jose still secured a top-four Western playoff spot, and Sporting Kansas City beat San Diego 1-0.
The post-season schedule begins on November 20. Inter Miami will host their best-of-three series opener at home, while Charlotte enters the bracket as the fifth seed in the East.
