Messi’s two goals now give him 26 on the season, two more than LAFC talisman Denis Bouanga in the Golden Boot chase. Messi, who is the favorite to become the first back-to-back winner of the Landon Donovan MLS MVP, now has 44 goal contributions on the season, five shy of the single-season record by LAFC’s Carlos Vela set in 2019.
The Herons, who clinched homefield advantage in Round One of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, close out the regular season at Nashville SC next Saturday (6 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
