Messi scores the 15th goal in 16 league games and Inter Miami extends their unbeaten streak

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi has taken Inter Miami another step closer to the No. 1 seed in the MLS Cup playoffs.

And the MLS points record for a single season remains within reach for the club.

Messi scored in the 67th minute and Inter Miami extended its unbeaten streak to eight straight games in Major League Soccer with a 1-1 draw against Charlotte FC on Saturday night. It was Messi’s 15th goal in 16 league games this season.

Columbus’ draw and 2-2 draw against DC United on Saturday left Inter Miami eight points ahead of the Crew and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami is also seven points ahead of the LA Galaxy and is number 1 in the MLS playoff standings.

Inter Miami plays in Columbus on Wednesday and a win would secure the No. 1 seed in the East. Inter Miami (19-4-8) has 65 points with three games remaining; Columbus (16-5-9) has 57 points with four games remaining.

If Inter Miami wins, it will finish with 74 points – one more than the MLS record of 73 set by New England in 2021.

DC United gave Inter Miami a little help on Saturday. Columbus led 2-1 late in the second half, but missed an equalizer in the 81st minute; Otherwise, the Crew could have moved two points closer to Inter Miami in the standings and made Wednesday’s game far more interesting.

Messi’s goal was his trademark brilliance. He took a pass near the edge of the penalty area, dribbled once and slotted his natural left-footed shot between four defenders and into the net to decide the game.

It came 10 minutes after Charlotte (11-11-9, 42 points, seventh in the East) scored first when Karol Swiderski deflected a shot into the net.

But Messi responded and Inter Miami had to settle for a third straight draw. The team is 5-0-3 in its last eight league games since June 1 and 9-1-3 in MLS play.

There were two big chances for Inter Miami in the final moments. Messi attempted to score the winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time after going down at the top of the penalty area. No foul was called and about two minutes later Luis Suarez failed from point-blank range on the final play of the game.

The game was the second to last of the regular home season for Inter Miami. After Wednesday’s showdown in Columbus, the club travels to Toronto on Oct. 5 and then concludes the 34-game schedule at home against New England on Oct. 19.

Inter Miami will open the playoffs at home the following weekend.