Yusuf hat-trick outshines Messi as New England win 3-0 in MLS

Nigeria international Alhassan Yusuf took the spotlight from Lionel Messi in Major League Soccer as his hat-trick powered New England Revolution to a 3-0 victory over D.C. United at Audi Field. The result lifted New England to fourth in the Eastern Conference with 33 points from a 10-7-3 regular-season record.

Messi also scored during a separate match for Inter Miami against Philadelphia Union, which ended in a draw. Yusuf’s three-goal display, however, gave New England a decisive win and ended a run of three matches without victory.

The midfielder opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Peyton Miller headed Jack Harrison’s cross back into the danger area, allowing Yusuf to attack the ball and finish with a header. His second goal arrived just before the interval, when he converted from close range after another delivery from Harrison.

Yusuf completed his treble in the 66th minute by turning a further Harrison cross into the net. The performance earned him Man of the Match recognition and showcased an attacking contribution beyond his usual role as a deeper midfielder.

The hat-trick also placed Yusuf in New England’s club history. He became the eighth player to score three times in a regular-season match for the Revolution, and the first to do so since Kei Kamara on September 2, 2017. His five goals and two assists this season have already established a personal single-season best.

The 26-year-old had also been influential for Nigeria earlier in the year. He scored in the third minute and again in stoppage time during the Super Eagles’ 3-0 Unity Cup final victory over Jamaica in London on May 30, 2026. That success secured Nigeria’s fourth Unity Cup title and allowed Eric Chelle’s team to retain the trophy.