Superstar Lionel Messi and Inter Miami FC will continue their quest for the Supporters’ Shield on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Yankee Stadium to face a struggling New York City FC. Messi’s second match back from injury wasn’t quite as impactful as his first. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner followed up a two-goal, one-assist performance in Miami’s 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union last Saturday with a less productive outing, seeing his side concede a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United on Wednesday. Both Messi (14 goals, 14 assists) and Luis Suarez (17 goals, six assists) entered the game against Atlanta as substitutes on Wednesday. Suarez had previously scored the lone goal in a 1-1 draw against NYCFC on March 30. David Ruiz netted his first goal of the season in the first half against Atlanta, while Leo Campana added his franchise-best 30th career goal across all competitions in the second half for the Herons (19-4-6, 63 points). With 63 points, Miami sits eight points ahead of both FC Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Galaxy in the race for the top spot in MLS.
Meanwhile, NYCFC (11-11-7, 40 points) is enduring a frustrating stretch, extending their winless streak to eight matches (0-3-5) following a 5-1 loss to the Union on Wednesday. “Like I said before, if we were being outplayed or on our backs against teams, then I would sit here and say, ‘I’m worried about the postseason,’” NYCFC coach Nick Cushing said. “However, I’ve seen enough this season and enough within these games that gives me complete confidence that we’ll get back to winning ways and continue to win football matches.” Alonso Martinez scored the lone goal for NYCFC, also finding the back of the net in the previous encounter against Miami.
Despite the recent draw, Inter Miami remains a formidable force in MLS, especially with Messi back in action. However, NYCFC, who are looking to turn their season around, will be eager to prove they can still compete with the league’s best. With both teams looking to make a statement, this match promises to be an exciting clash in the battle for MLS supremacy.
