Inter Miami were set to face the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final on Saturday at Chase Stadium in a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 campaign. And in a decisive moment, Lionel Messi set up a brilliant through ball that allowed Rodrigo De Paul to score the go-ahead goal and put the Herons up 2–1.
The game kicked off with the Herons finding the lead early after an own goal from Edier Ocampo in the 8th minute following Tadeo Allende’s cross. However, the home side remained cautious, and with the Whitecaps dominating the game, Ali Ahmed found the equalizer with a shot to Rocco Rios Novo’s first post in the 60th minute.
With the match level, Messi glided past Andrés Cubas to spark Inter Miami’s lethal counter. The former Barcelona star slipped a perfectly weighted pass between Tristan Blackmon and Mathías Laborda, freeing De Paul in behind, and the Argentine midfielder finished the chance to make it 2-1 in the 71st minute.
The assist to De Paul added another highlight to Messi’s unforgettable run throughout the MLS playoffs. During the 2025 postseason, the Argentine forward has recorded six goals and eight assists, totaling 14 goal contributions, the most by any player in a single MLS postseason campaign.
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