In the end, most everyone got what they hoped for at Allianz Field on Saturday. The Loons took down Inter Miami with a comprehensive 4-1 victory. And the Herons’ lone goal was scored by the master himself,

Lionel Messi’s goal — which won’t make any of his career highlight reels — gave Loons fans a thrill (and a scare) when he slotted in a shot to cut MNUFC’s lead to 2-1 in the 48th minute. MNUFC (6-2-4, 22 points) went on to nullify the threat with two more goals and hand Miami (6-2-3, 21 points) only its second loss on the season.

Khelaifi took a thinly-veiled swipe at Lionel Messi as the team celebrated their advancement to the Champions League final. Messi had a two-year stint in France before joining Inter Miami in 2023. Messi's surprising transfer from Barcelona to PSG was intended to secure the club's first-ever Champions League trophy.