Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano showered praise on Lionel Messi, calling him “extraordinary”, after the Argentine icon guided the club into their maiden MLS Cup final with a commanding 5-1 victory over New York City FC on Saturday. Miami’s charge to the championship match was led by a brilliant Tadeo Allende hat-trick, while Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia also found the net in a dominant performance at Fort Lauderdale. Messi, 38, didn’t score on the night, but produced a moment of pure class when he set up Silvetti for Miami’s third goal. That assist came just as New York were closing in on an equaliser and effectively put the contest to bed. Mascherano, who previously shared the pitch with Messi for Barcelona and Argentina, said his star man continues to redefine what is possible. “Leo has spoiled us with the extraordinary,” Mascherano said. “He is unique, someone we won’t see again. Maybe people expected a goal today, but he brought calmness with that third goal. Only he can spot that pass. It basically ended the match.” Miami will now welcome either San Diego FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps, who face off later on Saturday, in next weekend’s MLS Cup final. The team enters the title clash in peak form, having smashed FC Cincinnati 4-0 in the previous round and now dismantling New York with similar ruthlessness. Allende was at the centre of Miami’s attacking storm once again. The 26-year-old struck first in the 14th minute after beating the offside trap, then doubled the lead with an outstanding header shortly after. New York responded through Justin Haak’s headed effort in the 37th minute and almost levelled when Julian Fernandez drew a superb save from Rocco Rios Novo in the 66th minute. That moment proved pivotal. Miami instantly countered, with Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combining before Messi threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Silvetti, who fired home for 3-1. Segovia made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute, and Allende completed his hat-trick a minute later, setting off huge celebrations. Mascherano credited the squad for turning around a season that once looked in disarray. “The players deserve the praise. They understood the direction we needed to take,” he said. “We grew stronger together and reached this stage with a real sense of unity. Everyone pulls in the same direction, and who starts doesn’t matter. The strength of this group is unshakeable.”
