Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano hailed Lionel Messi as "extraordinary" after the Argentine superstar steered the club into their first MLS Cup final with a 5-1 thrashing of New York City FC on Saturday.
A Tadeo Allende hat trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia sent a revitalised Miami roaring into Major League Soccer's championship game next Saturday at their home field in Fort Lauderdale.
While Messi did not get on the scoresheet, the 38-year-old provided a crucial, classy assist for Miami's third goal, scored by Silvetti, that effectively killed off the game as New York chased an equalizer.
"Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary," Mascherano said of his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate.
"He's someone extraordinary, someone we'll never see again. Today, perhaps we're surprised that he didn't score, but he gave us peace of mind with the third goal, an assist that only he can see. He practically sealed the game."
Miami will host the Vancouver Whitecaps in next Saturday's MLS showpiece.
Vancouver, spearheaded by former Germany and Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, advanced to the final with a superb 3-1 victory over San Diego in California on Saturday to claim the Western Conference crown.
Messi and his teammates will head into the final bristling with confidence after another ruthless, high-scoring demolition job that followed on from their 4-0 drubbing of FC Cincinnati in the previous round.
Allende – who scored twice in the victory over Cincinnati – was once again the focal point of the Miami attack.
The 26-year-old Argentine forward opened the scoring in the 14th minute after cleverly springing the New York offside trap and then headed in a superb second to make it 2-0.
New York rallied back with a headed Justin Haak goal in the 37th minute and came within a whisker of an equalizer when Julian Fernandez forced a fine one-handed save from Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo in the 66th minute.
That near miss was to prove crucial.
Miami immediately swept upfield and a flowing move saw Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combine before Messi slipped a pass to Silvetti who rifled home to make it 3-1.
'Unbreakable'
Segovia then eliminated any doubt with Miami's fourth in the 83rd minute before Allende completed his hat trick a minute from time to spark wild celebrations.
The victory leaves Miami just one win away from completing a remarkable transformation after a season that appeared to be unraveling in disarray earlier in the campaign, following a string of defeats.
"We strengthened as a group and reached the end of the season with a brotherhood within the team, where everyone pulls together, and it doesn't matter who starts," Mascherano said. "We are a group, and the power of a group is unbreakable."
Meanwhile, Vancouver – who thumped Miami 5-1 on aggregate when they met in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals in April – signaled that they will be ready to take on the star-studded Florida outfit with a masterful display to beat San Diego.
The Canadian club got off to a dream start with Brian White firing them into the lead after only eight minutes.
More relentless Vancouver pressure forced an own goal from San Diego goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega three minutes later and a second White goal on the stroke of half-time made it 3-0.
San Diego raised hopes of an unlikely fightback when Mexico striker Hirving Lozano lashed in a long-range effort in the 60th minute.
But Vancouver continued to look the likelier team to score and Sisniega was shown a red card for bringing down Ryan Gauld when the Whitecaps player rounded him to go in on goal.
