Alhassan Yusuf marked his first assist of the season for New England Revolution, but it was Lionel Messi’s brilliance that stole the spotlight in their last MLS showdown.
In a thrilling comeback, Inter Miami overturned a two-goal deficit to claim a massive home victory on Saturday evening, Footballrover reports.
Despite Yusuf’s impressive contribution, New England Revolution could not hold on to their lead at the Chase Stadium.
The Revolution sought their tenth league win but fell to a crushing 6-2 defeat, extending a frustrating run of form.
After entering the match hoping to bounce back from a 4-0 defeat against Columbus, New England’s hopes seemed promising when Luca Langoni opened the scoring.
Yusuf quickly helped his side to double the advantage with a brilliant assist, nutmegging his opponent before setting up Dylan Borrero for the second goal just 34 minutes in.
Dylan's goal! ⚽🎥#MIAvNE pic.twitter.com/mRS99u9FnC
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) October 19, 2024
However, the Revolution’s fortunes shifted when former Barcelona star Luis Suárez netted twice in three minutes to bring Miami level just before the break.
Alhassan Yusuf’s impact fails to halt Miami’s surge
The second half saw Miami take control. Benjamin Cremaschi gave the hosts the lead 13 minutes in, but the true highlight came when Lionel Messi entered the game as a super sub.
The Argentine icon delivered a masterclass, scoring his first MLS hat-trick to secure a single-season points record of 74 for Miami, propelling them into the playoffs with momentum and confidence.
Another #IconOfTheMatch for the most iconic player in history 🔟✨ @RoyalCaribbean pic.twitter.com/Vcfg2YNJng
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 20, 2024
Meanwhile, New England’s season ended on a disappointing note. One silver lining for the Revolution was avoiding a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference, thanks to Chicago Fire’s loss to Nashville.
Alhassan Yusuf, who played the entire game, was one of the few bright spots for New England.
In addition to his assist, the 24-year-old Nigerian midfielder—who has six caps for the Super Eagles—made a strong overall contribution.
He recorded 57 touches, created another scoring chance, completed 30 accurate passes, including three key passes in the final third, and fired one shot on goal.
On the defensive side of the game, Yusuf was equally effective. He won a tackle, eight ground duels, and made nine recoveries, one block, and one interception.
Final.#MIAvNE | @SantanderBankUS pic.twitter.com/ka0GFtHxHX
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) October 20, 2024
Yusuf recently returned to club action after representing Nigeria in their 1-0 victory over Libya in an AFCON 2025 qualifier.
Although he was an unused substitute before the reverse fixture saw the team face a hostage situation, the midfielder has quickly reasserted himself at New England Revolution.
Having joined the MLS side from Royal Antwerp in a summer transfer, Yusuf is steadily adapting to life in the United States.
At Royal Antwerp, he made 116 appearances and scored four goals, and his move to New England was seen as a step toward a fresh challenge.
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