Nigeria international Alhassan Yusuf stole the league-wide spotlight on Wednesday night, outshining Lionel Messi with a sensational hat-trick to lead the New England Revolution to a commanding 3-0 victory over D.C. United at Audi Field. While Messi managed a single goal in Inter Miami’s concurrent draw against the Philadelphia Union, Yusuf’s explosive performance dominated MLS headlines, snapping New England’s three-game winless skid and propelling them to fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-7-3 record (33 points).
Usually tasked with anchoring the midfield, the 26-year-old transformed into an elite box-crashing forward, capitalizing on brilliant service throughout the night:
- 23rd Minute: Opened the scoring by slamming home a powerful header after 18-year-old Peyton Miller nodded a Jack Harrison cross back across the goal.
- 45th Minute: Struck just before halftime, tapping in a point-blank volley off another pinpoint delivery from Harrison.
- 66th Minute: Completed his Man of the Match performance by redirecting a second Harrison cross into the net, sealing his third goal of the evening.
The historic treble etched Yusuf into the Revs’ record books as only the eighth player in franchise history to score a regular-season hat-trick—and the first since Kei Kamara in September 2017. The performance brought his season totals to a career-high five goals and two assists.
This offensive masterclass continues a stellar year for the former Royal Antwerp star. On May 30, 2026, Yusuf was the standout performer for the Super Eagles in the Unity Cup final in London, scoring a brace (3rd and 91st minutes) in Nigeria’s 3-0 win over Jamaica to help Eric Chelle’s squad secure their fourth title.
