Lionel Messi, Inter Miami chase No. 2 seed against Charlotte FC
LIONEL Messi and Inter Miami will try to secure the second seed in the Eastern Conference in Saturday’s season finale against visiting Charlotte FC, which are also jostling for playoff position.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami aim to secure the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a decisive match against Charlotte FC on Saturday. The Venezuelan forward scored his 26th MLS goal in a 2-1 victory over New England on Sunday, propelling Miami into second place with 59 points. Inter's manager, Kily Gonzalez, emphasized the importance of Segovia's two assists, his first since a quadriceps injury in mid-September.
Segovia expressed his happiness, stating, "Honestly, I'm very happy... I had been waiting for my opportunity, and thank God I was able to make the most of it."
To clinch the second seed, Inter Miami needs a win, a draw if New England fails to win at Orlando City, or a loss if the Revolution also lose. Miami has won only once in MLS play during August and September, but they have won four of their last six matches. Charlotte FC can leapfrog Chicago Fire for the No. 4 seed and secure home advantage in the playoffs by defeating Miami and either drawing or losing to Columbus.
Manager Dean Smith cautioned against reckless play, but acknowledged Charlotte's strong offensive performance recently, defeating Montreal and Orlando 4-0 in their last two matches.
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