Lionel Messi gets 2 goals at record New England crowd; Miami beats Revolution 4-1

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored two goals to excite a New England Revolution-record crowd, leading Inter Miami CF to a 4-1 victory on Saturday night.

Messi didn’t disappoint the crowd of 65,612 that filled Gillette Stadium, scoring on a left-footed kick from deep inside the box for his ninth goal of the season, breaking a 1-all tie in the 68th minute.

The attendance beat the previous record of 61,316, when the Revolution lost to the LA Galaxy in the 2002 MLS final.

In the opening half, he was a few feet inside the box, scoring on a left-foot kick to tie it at 1-1 in the 33rd minute.

When the 36-year-old 2022 World Cup winner scored, loud cheers echoed around the stands in a match that featured the Eastern Conference’s first-place Miami against the last-place Revolution.

Benjamin Cremaschi and Luis Suarez each scored late for Miami.

The Revolution had made it 1-0 in the opening minute when Tomas Chancalay beat a defender and dropped a shot over goaltender Drake Callender, who was charging out.

Even with the local winter professional teams — the Celtics and Bruins — both in the playoffs, much of the sports landscape centered around Messi’s visit this week.

Entering the stadium about 90 minutes before the match were hundreds of fans, mostly kids, wearing the pink Miami Messi jersey.

They were easily seen mixed in once the stadium was filled.

Sprinkled in were some of the Messi No. 10 Argentina white-and-blue-striped jerseys.

“I am so excited,” said Stacy Mills, 31, a traveling nurse from East Tennessee, who was wearing one of the Messi Argentina jerseys. “I’ve actually followed him since he was playing with Barcelona.”

Her friend, Caleadia Jessup, 53, also a travel nurse, from Fayetteville, North Carolina, was proud to show off her Messi Argentina one, too.

“I followed him when he played for the home country in the World Cup,” she said, smiling.

For many kids, it was a chance to watch a soccer great at the former home of a player that is referred to as NFL’s GOAT (Greatest of all time), Tom Brady, who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.

“I’ve been playing since I was young. He’s my favorite player,” Cameron Howell, 14, from Halifax, Massachusetts, said about the Miami star.

UP NEXT

Inter Miami: At New York on May 4.

New England: Hosts Chicago on May 4.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, front center, waves to fans as he walks onto the field with teammates at Gillette Stadium before an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) warms up before an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

New England Revolution forward Tomás Chancalay, bottom right, falls while chasing the ball behind Inter Miami midfielder Tomás Aviles, front left, in the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Inter Miami forwards Leonardo Campana (8) and Lionel Messi (10) watch the replay of Messi's goal in the first half of an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, right, arrives at Gillette Stadium before an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

A young fan shows his support for Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi before an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) retrieves the ball from the net after scoring in the first half of an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi reacts after scoring in the first half of an MLS soccer match against the New England Revolution, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

BOSTON (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko and Carter Verhaeghe scored on the same Bruins double-minor, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 14 shots and the Florida Panthers beat Boston 6-2 on Friday night and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Evan Rodrigues scored twice, and Brandon Montour also connected for the Panthers, who have won back-to-back games after dropping the opener at home. A 6-1 winner Wednesday night, Florida scored 10 straight goals before Jakub Lauko made it 4-1 early in the third and Jake DeBrusk followed with 11:31 left to make it a two-goal game.

But Boston, which played the final 20 minutes without captain and No. 2 scorer Brad Marchand, could get no closer before Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter with 1:24 left. Rodrigues scored again — Florida’s fourth power-play goal of the game — in the final minute.

Now the Bruins need a win at home on Sunday night to avoid a 3-1 deficit heading back to Florida for Game 5.

OILERS 4, CANUCKS 3, OT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and Edmonton Oilers beat Vancouver to even their second-round playoff series at one game apiece.

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had a goal and three assists, and Mattias Ekholm also scored for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner finished with 16 saves.

Nikita Zadorov had a goal and an assist, and Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks. Arturs Silovs made 27 saves.

Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Sunday in Edmonton.

Boston Bruins' Charlie McAvoy (73) defends against Florida Panthers' Eetu Luostarinen (27) as Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) tends goal during the second period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Friday, May 10, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)