nter Miami secured their place in the 2026 Major League Soccer playoffs with a 2-0 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday. Germán Berterame and Rodrigo De Paul scored for Miami, with Lionel Messi providing the assist for De Paul’s goal.

Playing at Nu Stadium, Inter Miami took the lead in the 20th minute. Argentine forward Berterame finished a move created by Luis Suárez to put the hosts ahead with his eighth league goal of the season.

Miami doubled their advantage just before half-time. Messi supplied a pass to fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul, who fired a superb shot into the net to make it 2-0.

New York City FC had an opportunity to get back into the contest late in the match, but Nicolás Fernández Mercau failed to convert a penalty. Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made the save to preserve Miami’s clean sheet.

The victory took Inter Miami to 52 points from 29 matches, keeping them second in the Eastern Conference. With five regular-season games remaining, the club had already secured its playoff berth. Nashville remained top of the conference with 66 points from the same number of matches.

Miami failed to reach the playoffs in the year Messi joined the club in 2023. However, they have qualified in each of the following three seasons. After winning their first MLS Cup last season, the team will now look to make another strong postseason run.

The result also marked a second consecutive league victory for head coach Cristian “Kily” González, who took charge in September. The coach acknowledged that the team still had areas to improve but expressed satisfaction with its progress.

Messi continues to make a major impact in the MLS Golden Boot race. The Argentine superstar has scored 23 goals in 25 league appearances this season and remains a key contributor to Miami’s attack. His assist for De Paul’s goal helped seal the playoff-clinching victory and gave the club another reason to celebrate.