David Beckham's Inter Miami secured their latest piece of silverware on Wednesday night, with a 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew crowning them winners of the MLS Supporters' Shield. The win, powered by two goals from Lionel Messi and one from Luis Suárez, gave Miami the best regular-season record for the first time in the club's history.
The Supporters' Shield, awarded to the team with the top record over the regular season, adds another trophy to Miami's collection after their Leagues Cup triumph earlier in the year. Beckham, the club’s owner, paid tribute to the squad, highlighting Messi's contributions once again as the Argentine continued his dazzling form with two goals.
"So proud to see our players lift the Supporters' Shield after a great win in Columbus," Beckham wrote on Instagram. "Another amazing achievement in the history of this football club and so happy to bring this trophy to the best fans in the League. Now we go again and onto the next one."
Messi opened the scoring late in the first half with a free-kick, followed by another goal just before halftime, giving Inter Miami a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break. However, the match quickly became a nail-biter when Columbus' Diego Rossi found the back of the net within a minute of the second half, narrowing the gap to 2-1.
Three minutes later, Suárez restored Miami’s two-goal cushion, netting his 18th goal of the season. But Columbus wasn’t done yet. Cucho Hernandez converted a penalty just after the hour mark, bringing Columbus within one goal once more. However, any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Rudy Camacho was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.
Columbus had one final chance to tie the game from the penalty spot, but Hernandez’s second attempt from 12 yards went wide with just five minutes remaining. That miss sealed Miami’s 3-2 victory and the Eastern Conference crown.
Messi, ever focused, reminded everyone that there’s still more to accomplish. "The first objective has been achieved and now we have to think about what's next," Messi said after the game. "The first round [of the playoffs] is three games, but then it's one game and anything can happen. But we have the great advantage of playing all the games at home, which is what we were looking for. We are very strong at home."
With two more regular-season matches against Toronto and New England ahead, Inter Miami is looking to maintain momentum heading into the playoffs, where the ultimate goal is to lift the MLS Cup in December.
Despite their 3-2 win, Messi and his teammates weren't handed the trophy on the field. Instead, they reportedly celebrated privately in the locker room because the trophy was still in Columbus.
The real complication stems from the fact that none of Miami’s supporter groups are officially part of the Independent Supporters Council, the body that governs the Shield. Without formal ISC membership, Inter Miami’s Supporters' Shield win can't be fully recognized yet. Four groups have applied to join, but their approval could take weeks, adding uncertainty to when the Shield will officially be theirs.
Though they weren't presented the trophy after the Columbus win, Inter Miami may finally be able to showcase it to fans during their final home game of the season on October 20 against New England Revolution, assuming the ISC issue is resolved in time. For now, the club’s claim to the Shield is in limbo, leaving fans eagerly waiting for a formal crowning moment
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