Lionel Messi won the Mer award. Goal of the American Soccer League for the second consecutive season with 26 goals, but Inter Miami lost its three-goal lead against Charlotte in the final game of the regular season and settled for a 3-3 draw.
Inter Miami took a 3-0 lead in the first half with goals from Ian Frei, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo DePaul, but Charlotte leveled the score in the second half with two goals from Lil Abeda and a 90th-minute goal from Rodolfo Aluko.
Messi failed to score in this game and his shot hit the crossbar in stoppage time. However, the Argentine star finished the regular season with 26 goals and retained the Mr. Goal title, four more than Dallas forward Petr Moshe.
With this draw, Intermiami achieved 60 points and second place in the East. Nashville also became the leader of this conference with 77 points and set a new scoring record.
With the New England Revolution's loss to Orlando City, Intermiami's second place finish has been confirmed so that team will face the Columbus Crew in the first round of the playoffs, beginning on November 18.
The first stage of the playoffs will be held as a three-game series, and Inter Miami must overcome the barrier of the Eastern Conference's seventh team to continue in the championship.