Lionel Messi led the charge for Inter Miami CF, scoring twice in the second half to extend his tally to five goals in the past nine days, securing a 4-0 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday night at Citi Field and a spot in the 2025 Major League Soccer playoffs.

Miami head coach Javier Mascherano emphasized that the team had accomplished an important goal, but it was only the first step for a club with aspirations to repeat as Supporters’ Shield champions.

“We are happy and with the tranquility of having achieved the first goal, which was to qualify for the playoffs. Now we’ll try to finish as high as possible in the standings, which would allow us to have home-field advantage,” Mascherano said.

Messi had the opportunity to record a hat trick when Inter Miami earned a penalty in the 83rd minute, but the Herons captain chose to give the chance to longtime teammate Luis Suárez instead.

“He has done that too many times in his career. Sometimes he looks at some teammates who haven’t scored and need a goal more than him,” Mascherano added.

“He tried to help in this way. For me, it’s great. He tried to show to everyone the team spirit, trying to involve all the players and players that maybe in this case Luis, needed to score. So it’s great.”

Messi has managed two or more goals in eight of the past 12 Inter Miami matches, becoming the fourth player in MLS history to record multiple goals in just eight games in a single season.

The team will now focus on the game against Toronto FC on Saturday night as Inter Miami looks to secure the 2025 Supporters’ Shield.

“We are happy because now we are officially qualified for the playoffs. That was very important for us. Now we have to continue moving forward,” Mascherano said.

“We know we have two games in hand, so we will try to rest and recover before going to Toronto. We know how difficult Saturday will be because we have less than 72 hours to play, but we’ll try to play our best and win the game and to qualify as high as possible. If we can win the five remaining games that we have, it will be great and we’ll have that chance to fight for the Supporters’ Shield.”

Miami sits in third place on the Eastern Conference table with 55 points in 29 games, two matches behind leaders Philadelphia Union.

PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers activated rookie Roki Sasaki from the 60-day injured list Wednesday, and the right-hander is expected to throw out of the bullpen over the final five games of the regular season to see if he can earn a postseason role.

Manager Dave Roberts confirmed the move, saying right-hander Kirby Yates will head to the injured list because of a lingering hamstring issue. The move is retroactive to Sept. 21.

Roberts said he doesn’t have a specific role for Sasaki, but wanted him to take advantage of his opportunities.

“Giving everything he has for an inning or two at a time,” Roberts said. “That’s kind of what I see. Let the performance play out. Just go after guys and be on the attack.”

Sasaki, 23, is 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 34⅓ innings over eight big league appearances this season, all starts. He has also spent time at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was 0-2 with a 6.10 ERA over seven appearances, including five starts.

The defending World Series champion Dodgers are searching for bullpen help as the postseason approaches. Tanner Scott blew a save in Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Sasaki agreed in January to a minor league contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus as an international amateur free agent under Major League Baseball’s rules, leaving the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Marines under the posting system.

His debut season in the big leagues has been mostly disappointing, but the Dodgers hope he can still have a role in October.

Sasaki is one of three Japanese players on the Dodgers’ roster along with two-way star Shohei Ohtani and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

MADRID — Diego Simeone praised Julián Álvarez as “the best player we have” after the forward scored a spectacular hat trick in Atlético Madrid‘s 3-2 comeback win over Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.

Álvarez put Atlético ahead in the first half at the Metropolitano Stadium, before Rayo’s Pep Chavarría levelled with a stunning long-distance strike on halftime.

The visitors then went ahead through Álvaro García, before two more goals from Álvarez — including an 88th-minute winner — gave Atletico just their second victory in LaLiga this season.

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“[Álvarez] is very good — he’s the best player we have,” Simeone told ESPN. “We have to look after him, we have to help him be better. We need to have him here for many years at Atlético Madrid, he’s our difference-making player.”

Álvarez had only scored one goal this season going into Tuesday’s game, and appeared unhappy at being substituted in Atlético’s previous match, a disappointing 1-1 draw at Mallorca, with Spanish media claiming he’d complained “always me” after being withdrawn.

“People said that on social media, but it’s more something on the outside than on the inside,” Álvarez told ESPN. “Everything is fine. Those weren’t the words I used. They were other words, rude words. I was angry with myself because of how the game had gone. But these things always happen with how social media is nowadays.”

Atlético’s win transforms the mood at the club going into one of the biggest games of the LaLiga season, Saturday’s derby with Real Madrid.

“Pure football. Football is fantastic,” Simeone said. “That’s the marvellous thing about this game. When it seems all is lost, faith, work and persistence, give you this joy every now and then.”

“When you’re at such a big club and you’re not winning games, you feel pressure, not just from outside, but from yourself, your teammates, and the coach,” defender Dávid Hancko told ESPN. “It’s not easy when you think you’re playing well, you’re doing everything, but you’re not winning games.”

Saturday’s opponents Real are top of the LaLiga table with maximum points so far this season, nine points ahead of Atlético.

“They’re a team that’s won all six games,” Simeone said. “They’re in an incredible moment, and they have decisive players all over the pitch. They’ve grown compared to last season in their collective play. They’re a great opponent.”