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Sports & Cricket
Messi strikes late as Inter Miami edge New England 2-1
Lionel Messi scored an 83rd-minute winner as Inter Miami came from behind to beat New England Revolution 2-1, moving second in the Eastern Conference and sealing a Champions Cup place.
⚡Key Highlights
Premium
Lionel Messi scored an 83rd-minute winner as Inter Miami came from behind to beat New England Revolution 2-1, moving second in the Eastern Conference and sealing a Champions Cup place.
Special coverage and in-depth reporting from the Sports & Cricket desk.
Key analysis, background details, and full reporting below.
Lionel Messi scored a late winner and set up the equaliser as Inter Miami came from behind to beat New England Revolution 2-1, moving second in the Eastern Conference.
By StoryTimesNow Sports Desk — 02 November 2026, 1:03 PM IST
A symbolic illustration of a floodlit match night at Gillette Stadium. (Illustration: StoryTimesNow)
Key Takeaways
What happened: Inter Miami beat New England Revolution 2-1 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, 1 November 2026, with Lionel Messi scoring the winner in the 83rd minute.
Who is affected: Miami move to 59 points, one ahead of New England on 58, and secure a place in next year's Concacaf Champions Cup.
What is next: A win over Charlotte FC on Decision Day, Saturday, would guarantee Miami home advantage through to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Introduction
Inter Miami left it late, but they left Foxborough with exactly what they needed. Trailing to Daniel Gazdag's second-half goal, the visitors levelled through German Berterame in the 69th minute and won it through Lionel Messi in the 83rd. The 2-1 victory over New England Revolution on Sunday, 1 November 2026, lifted Miami above their hosts into second place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference, with one regular-season match still to play.
What Happened?
The first half ended goalless, with New England controlling much of the play before a season-high crowd of 54,112 at Gillette Stadium. The breakthrough came eight minutes after the restart: Peyton Miller pulled the ball back from the byline, Ilay Feingold flicked it on with his heel, and Gazdag powered home in the 53rd minute.
Miami levelled in the 69th minute through pure Messi invention. Telasco Segovia lobbed a pass into the box, Messi headed it backwards off the back of his head between two defenders, and Berterame met it with a thumping header. It was Berterame's 10th goal of the season and Messi's 16th assist.
The winner, in the 83rd minute, was just as individual. Messi collected the ball outside the area, skipped past three tackles and sent a low left-footed shot into the far corner, past goalkeeper Matt Turner. It was his 26th goal of the season, keeping him top of the MLS scoring charts.
New England thought they had snatched a dramatic equaliser in the 87th minute, when a cross from substitute Luca Langoni was turned into his own net by Miami defender Ian Fray. A video review ruled Langoni marginally offside, however, and the goal was overturned. The 2-1 scoreline held to the final whistle.
Why Does This Matter?
The result matters first for the playoff picture. Miami now have 59 points from 33 matches, one ahead of New England on 58, with one fixture left each. A win against Charlotte FC on Decision Day, Saturday, would guarantee Miami home advantage through to the Eastern Conference Finals.
It also secured Miami's place in next year's Concacaf Champions Cup. For a side that arrived after a 2-0 defeat at Red Bull New York and a 2-2 draw with Cincinnati, it steadied a shaky week and delivered a concrete prize.
Important Details
Final score: New England Revolution 1-2 Inter Miami CF, MLS regular season, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Goals: Daniel Gazdag (53rd minute) for New England; German Berterame (69th minute) and Lionel Messi (83rd minute) for Inter Miami.
Disallowed goal: An 87th-minute Ian Fray own goal was overturned after a video review found Luca Langoni offside.
Crowd: 54,112, a season high for New England.
Standings: Inter Miami second in the Eastern Conference on 59 points (16 wins, 6 defeats, 11 draws); New England third on 58 points (18 wins, 11 defeats, 4 draws).
Messi's season: 26 goals and 16 assists, leading the MLS scoring charts, according to MLS.
Champions Cup: The win clinched Inter Miami's place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Background and Context
Messi, 39, has made a habit of hurting New England. According to MLS, Sunday was his fifth multi-goal-contribution performance in six career matches against the Revolution, taking his tally against them to eight goals and six assists. The two-time reigning MLS MVP arrived focused on points, seeding and a Champions Cup place.
What Happens Next?
Decision Day decides second place. Miami host Charlotte FC on Saturday knowing a win guarantees home advantage until the Conference Finals. New England must regroup quickly after losing a seeding race they led before Sunday.
Beyond the regular season, Miami's Champions Cup place is already banked. The question now is whether Sunday's comeback is the start of a late-season surge or simply a famous escape.
What Readers Should Know
The key point is simple: Miami were losing with 21 minutes left and won it through their captain. Berterame's header came from a Messi assist that will be replayed for weeks, and the winner came from Messi beating three defenders on his own. Those two moments decided the match.
FAQs
What was the final score?
New England Revolution 1-2 Inter Miami CF, in MLS on Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Who scored for Inter Miami?
German Berterame in the 69th minute and Lionel Messi in the 83rd minute, after Daniel Gazdag had put New England ahead in the 53rd minute.
What does the result mean for the standings?
Inter Miami move second in the Eastern Conference on 59 points, one ahead of New England on 58, with one regular-season match left for each side.
What is next for Inter Miami?
A home match against Charlotte FC on Decision Day, Saturday. A win would guarantee home advantage through to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Sources and Verification
Result, scorers, timings, crowd figure and standings were cross-checked across MLS, the New England Revolution's official recap, News18 and Free Malaysia Today, all published on 1-2 November 2026.
MLS, Messi heroics lead Inter Miami to Champions Cup, 2 November 2026: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/lionel-messi-heroics-lead-inter-miami-to-champions-cup
New England Revolution, Revs drop regular season home finale in front of season-high 54,112 fans, 1 November 2026: https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/recap-revs-drop-home-finale-in-front-of-54-112
News18, Messi scores late goal in Inter Miami comeback win, 2 November 2026: https://www.news18.com/sports/football/lionel-messi-scores-a-late-goal-in-inter-miamis-comeback-win-ws-l-10408163.html
Free Malaysia Today, Messi late strike gives Inter Miami crucial playoff boost, 2 November 2026: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/11/02/messi-s-late-strike-gives-inter-miami-crucial-playoff-boost
This report is based on published match reports from MLS, the New England Revolution, News18 and Free Malaysia Today. Figures for points and standings reflect the position after 33 matches. If any detail is corrected by the clubs or MLS, this article will be updated.
