Lionel Messi scored a brilliant goal for Inter Miami, giving his team a crucial lead in the race for second place in the Eastern Conference against Atlanta United in the penultimate match of the MLS regular season.

Inter Miami are no longer in contention for the Supporters’ Shield, which went to the Philadelphia Union this season after the Herons lifted it last year. However, Javier Mascherano’s side is determined to finish as high as possible in the standings to secure home-field advantage in most of their playoff games.

That’s why this match carried major importance for Inter Miami — and it’s also the reason Argentina’s coaching staff decided to leave Messi out of the friendly against Venezuela, allowing him to stay with his club for this crucial game.

With Messi on the field, it was

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