FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi moved Inter Miami another step closer to the No. 1 seed for the MLS Cup playoffs.
And the MLS single-season points record remains in the club's reach as well. Messi scored in the 67th minute and Inter Miami pushed its unbeaten streak to eight straight Major League Soccer matches with a 1-1 tie against Charlotte FC on Saturday night. It was Messi's 15th goal in 16 league matches this season.
The tie, combined with Columbus' 2-2 draw with D.C. United on Saturday, left Inter Miami eight points clear of the Crew for the No.
1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami is also seven points up on the LA Galaxy for the No. 1 overall seed in the MLS playoffs.
Inter Miami plays at Columbus on Wednesday, and a win would wrap up the No. 1 seed in the East. Inter Miami (19-4-8) has 65 points with three matches left; Columbus (16-5-9) has 57 points with four matches remaining.
If Inter Miami wins out, it will finish with 74 points — one more than the MLS record of 73 set by New England in 2021. D.C.
United helped Inter Miami a bit on Saturday. Columbus led 2-1 late in the second half but surrendered the tying goal in the 81st minute; otherwise, the Crew could have been two points closer to Inter Miami in the standings and made Wednesday's match far more interesting. Messi's goal was his typical brilliance.
He took a pass near the top of the penalty box, dribbling once and threading his natural left-footed shot between four defenders and into .