Messi, Inter Miami defeat New York to reach first MLS Cup final

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup final on Saturday, beating New York City FC 5-1. Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano hailed the Argentinian superstar as “extraordinary.”

A revitalized Miami will roar into the championship game on Saturday at their home field in Fort Lauderdale with a Tadeo Allende hat-trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia.

Messi’s 38-year-old assisted in Miami’s third goal, which was scored by Silvetti as New York attempted to equalize despite not being on the score sheet.

Mascherano described his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate as “Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary.”

“He’s a remarkable person that we’ll never see again,” he said. Perhaps we’re surprised that he didn’t score, but his third goal, an assist only his can see, gave us peace of mind. He almost sealed the outcome.

In the MLS matchup for next Saturday, Miami will host the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Thomas Muller, a former Germany and Bayern Munich star, led Vancouver to victory in the Western Conference championship game on Saturday with a superb 3-1 victory over San Diego.

After another ruthless, high-scoring demolition job that followed from their 4-0 defeat of FC Cincinnati in the previous round, Messi and his teammates will enter the final beaming confidently.

Allende, who scored twice in the victory over Cincinnati, was once more the centerpiece of the Miami attack.

The 26-year-old Argentinian forward cleverly springs the New York offside trap in the 14th minute and scores a superb second to make it 2-0.

In the 37th minute, New York rallied back with a headed goal from Justin Haak and almost equalized when Rocco Rios Novo, a Miami goalkeeper, was forced into a fine one-handed save.

That crucial near-miss had to occur.

Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combined immediately for 3-1 in the opening push before Messi slipped a pass to Silvetti, who rifled home.

‘Unbreakable’

Before Allende’s hat-trick a minute from time, which sparked outcry, Segovia put an end to any doubt with Miami’s fourth goal in the 83rd minute.

After a season that appeared to be disorganized earlier in the campaign, Miami is now just one win away from completing a remarkable transformation.

It doesn’t matter who starts, Mascherano said, “We strengthened as a team and came to the end of the season with a brotherhood within the team where everyone rallies together,” Mascherano said. The strength of a group is unbreakable because we are a group.

In addition, Vancouver, who defeated Miami 5-1 on aggregrate in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals in April, made it clear that they would be ready to face off against the star-studded Florida outfit with a stellar performance to defeat San Diego.

With Brian White’s stunning eighth-minute winner, the Canadian club took the lead.

Three minutes later, San Diego goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega was forced to score an own goal by more persistent Vancouver pressure, and a second White goal on the stroke of half-time made it 3-0.

Hirving Lozano’s long-range effort in the 60th minute gave San Diego hope for an unlikely comeback.

However, after Vancouver continued to appear to be the more likely team to score, Sisniega was sent off for beating Whitecaps goalkeeper Ryan Gauld.