Whereas groups are combating to enhance their playoff place on Resolution Day, Inter Miami might be trying to make Main League Soccer historical past.
The Lionel Messi-led squad has the chance to safe the league’s all-time factors file on Saturday in opposition to the New England Revolution. The Revolution set the file in 2021 with 73 factors, and Miami presently has 71.
Miami has already clinched the highest spot within the Jap Convention and secured the Supporters Defend.
Messi, a front-runner for the MLS MVP this season, has 17 targets and 15 assists regardless of taking part in simply 18 video games due to an ankle harm and commitments with the Argentine nationwide crew.
Messi might not begin in opposition to New England because the match would not have any playoff implications, and he simply returned this week from nationwide crew responsibility.
“On the twentieth of January, it might have appeared illogical to speak about aiming for the factors file; however now it’s inside attain, we wish to get it,” Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino mentioned. “Nonetheless, we’re not [going] to do something loopy as a result of six days later, we begin an important video games. That’s the place I have to be cautious (managing gamers’ minutes).”
[Related: Lionel Messi leaves door open for 2026 World Cup: ‘We will see’]
D.C. United‘s Christian Benteke is on the verge of profitable the 2024 MLS Golden Boot with a league-high 23 targets. Benteke is forward of 2023 winner LAFC‘s Denis Bouanga and the Crew‘s Cucho Hernández, who’ve 19 targets every.
There are nonetheless two playoff berths open within the Jap Convention heading into Resolution Day. D.C. United and Montreal are within the eighth and ninth spots however have not clinched but, whereas Philadelphia and Atlanta are nonetheless in rivalry.
Benteke mentioned D.C. United will not be scoreboard watching throughout its ultimate recreation in opposition to Charlotte. All of the East’s matches on Saturday happen concurrently.
“We had some ups and downs by the season, and now that is it,” Benteke mentioned. “We’re there. We will see the ultimate line. Man, it is thrilling as a result of that is our likelihood. We have labored so exhausting and we have been by many, many issues.”
The No. 8 and No. 9 seeds in every convention play in a match for the final playoff spot and an opportunity to play the top-seeded crew — Miami within the East and both the LA Galaxy or LAFC within the West.
Though all 9 playoff berths have been already clinched within the West, the Galaxy and LAFC are nonetheless jockeying for the highest seed. The Galaxy wants a win or draw at Houston on Saturday to lock it down.
With a win, the Galaxy will end with 67 factors, matching the crew’s 2011 whole when it went on to win the MLS title.
“I believe it is nice that the sport is significant,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney mentioned. “Presently of yr, I might reasonably have a significant recreation that we’re taking part in for one thing, reasonably than a recreation the place you are feeling such as you’re not taking part in for one thing proper earlier than you actually begin taking part in for one thing. So I believe that retains the precise depth and the precise consideration within the group.”
The highest 4 seeds in every convention after Resolution Day win home-field benefit for the primary spherical.
Additional down the desk within the West, Cascadia Cup rivals Portland and Vancouver maintain the wild card positions. That might change, as the underside 5 playoff-bound groups are all inside six factors of one another.
The Whitecaps hope to maneuver up the desk this weekend at Actual Salt Lake, however Vancouver has been winless in its final six matches.
“Clearly, we’ve had a foul run of outcomes lately,” striker Brian White mentioned. “So it’d be nice to enter playoffs with a bit little bit of extra optimistic vitality, a win, and see what we will do from there.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
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