As teams battle to improve their playoff position on Decision Day, InterMiami will attempt to make history in Major League Soccer.

The Lionel Messi The team listed has the opportunity to secure the all-time points record in the league on Saturday against the New England Revolution. The Revolution set the record in 2021 with 73 points, Miami currently has 71.

Miami has already secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference secured the Supporters Shield.

Messi, a leading candidate for MLS MVP this season, has 17 goals and 15 assists despite playing just 18 games due to an ankle injury and commitments to the Argentina national team.

Messi may not start against New England as the game has no playoff implications and he only returned this week from national team service.

“On January 20th it would have been illogical to talk about the pursuit of the points record; But now it is within reach, we would like to get it,” said Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino. “However, we can’t do anything crazy because six days later we start the most important games. I have to be careful (managing players’ minutes).”

DC United’s Christian Benteke is on the verge of winning the 2024 MLS Golden Boot with a league-high 23 goals. Benteke is ahead of 2023 LAFC winner Denis Bouanga and the Crew’s Cucho Hernández, who have each scored 19 goals.

There are still two playoff spots open in the Eastern Conference before Decision Day. DC United and Montreal are in eighth and ninth place but have not yet broken through, while Philadelphia and Atlanta are still in the running.

Benteke said DC United won’t be paying attention to the scoreboard in their last game against Charlotte. All East games on Saturday will take place at the same time.

“We had some ups and downs throughout the season. And now the time has come. We are there. We can see the final line,” Benteke said. “Man, it’s exciting because this is our opportunity. We worked so hard and went through many, many things.”

The Nos. 8 and 9 seeds from each conference play in a game for the final playoff spot and a chance to play the top seed – Miami in the East and either LA Galaxy or LAFC in the West.

Although all nine playoff spots in the West were already secured, the Galaxy and LAFC are still fighting for first place. The Galaxy need a win or a draw in Houston on Saturday to claim victory.

With a win, the Galaxy would reach 67 points, matching their point total from 2011, when the team won the MLS title.

“I think it’s great that the game has meaning. “This time of year, I’d rather have a meaningful game where we’re playing for something than a game where you feel like you’re not playing for something before you actually start playing for something,” Galaxy coach said Greg Vanney said. “So I think that keeps the right intensity and the right attention in the group.”

The top four finishers in each conference after decision day win home-field advantage in the first round.

Further down the table in the west, Cascadia Cup rivals Portland and Vancouver occupy the wildcard positions. That could change as the final five playoff teams are all within six points of each other.

The Whitecaps hope to climb the table at Real Salt Lake this weekend, but Vancouver is winless in its last six games.

“Obviously we’ve had poor results lately,” forward Brian White said. “So it would be great to go into the playoffs with a little more positive energy and a win and see what we can do from there.”

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