Messi and Callender were very important to Miami’s win of the MLS regular season title.

With his 31st and 32nd goals of the season, Lionel Messi scored two great goals that helped Inter Miami beat the Columbus Crew 3-2 on Wednesday night and win the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield.

The Argentine scored the first goal of the game in the 45th minute. Four minutes into extra time in the first half, he scored again, this time with a spectacular free kick that made the score 2-0.

But the Crew got a goal back right away in the second half thanks to winger Diego Rossi. But the Herons reacted right away.

Crew scored the first goal of the second half, and less than 60 seconds later, Luis Suarez scored Miami’s third goal by taking advantage of a mistake by Crew and USMNT custodian Patrick Schulte. With a 3-1 lead, it looked like the Herons would be able to coast to victory, but it wasn’t easy.

In the 61st minute, the Crew got a penalty kick, and Cucho Hernandez scored it to cut the gap to one. But after two minutes, Columbus defender Rudy Camacho was sent off for getting his second yellow card of the game.

They thought Miami had the upper hand.

In the 82nd minute of the game, Miami defender Ian Fray got sent to the box for handball, which was another good thing for the Crew. Hernandez had a chance to tie the game, but U.S. keeper Drake Callender made a huge save to keep Hernandez from scoring.

That was it! The Herons won the 2024 regular season title in what might have been the most chaotic, exciting, and surprising game of the season.

Columbus fans will be furious about calls made during the game, especially Sergio Busquets’ studs-up tackle in the first half, which was sent to VAR but, after a long review, was ruled not to be a foul, much to the disappointment of everyone at Lower.Com Field.

For the Herons, Federico Redondo and Marcelo Weigandt both got too many yellow cards and will not be able to play against Toronto FC on Saturday.

But it’s likely they won’t care. Messi and Callender are the stars of South Beach, and the Herons won the MLS regular season in 2024.

Messi won his 46th title, and Inter Miami’s second since he joined the team in 2023. Their 17 goals and 15 assists have helped them to the best record in the league this season. He has won the Ballon d’Or eight times.