Genius after genius, Lionel Messi clinched his first title as an Inter Miami player yesterday. The Argentine star, who revolutionized American football in just a month, scored his tenth goal in seven games in the final. The title of the Leagues Cup, a tournament in which the 47 teams of the American MLS and the Mexican Liga MX take part, was decided in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, in which 11 shots were needed per team. Nashville SC goalkeeper Eliot Panicco’s miss gave the Miami team the win.
With Saturday’s victory, Messi improves his revolver and takes his 44th official title. And like so many others, that title belongs to him more than anyone else. Barça, Albiceleste and pink jerseys with the number 10 and the name of Messi crowded the stands. He was the absolute protagonist even before kick-off. When the ball went through his feet during the game, a shiver ran through the stadium.
Messi had three shots on goal. In the first He scored a great goal for the team from outside the box after catching a lost ball on the edge of the box. Dodge a defender and sneak them through a tangle of local defenses. In the second round he shot again from the edge of the penalty area and hit the post. And the third was the penalty kick that opened the crucial penalty shootout. He waited for the goalie to win to score softly. Then he waited nervously with his teammates until the title came.
Messi, who has played in more than 40 finals in his career, accepted the trophy as the tournament’s best player and was also named top scorer. Plus the championship trophy, which he collected together with the captain while the fans crowned his name. He didn’t have that many glasses in his hand. David Beckham, co-owner of the club, and his wife Victoria Beckham hugged them on the lawn, the smiles never leaving their faces.
The game was played at Geodis Park, home of Nashville SC. It didn’t have much football quality, but it had the emotion of the finals. Alternating between high pressure and retreat, the locals seemed to have a clearer idea of what they were playing. Inter could only find their way to the opponents’ goal when Messi showed up with his genius in the 23rd minute. “We played a good offensive game and when the ball goes to Leo in those places, he usually doesn’t miss it, so we were able to take the lead there, but the game was even,” explained coach Tata Martino at half-time.
After the restart, Inter Miami tried to end the game, but in the 57th minute an unfortunate collision from a corner kick from local German star Hany Mukhtar ended in an own goal from Inter goalkeeper Callender. From then on, Inter experienced a physical and emotional decline. Dominance and most of the chances came from Nashville, although Messi hit the post with 20 minutes to go and Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana hit in the last minute of the tee shot He missed a chance to score when the goal was empty and also smashed the ball against the post.
It was good for Inter that there was no extra time and it went straight to penalties. Nashville fell in the second half, but when the trophy seemed to belong to Inter, Víctor Ulloa failed in the fifth. From then on, players from both teams converted all penalties until it was Panicco’s turn. Callender was able to parry his opponent’s ball shot. 10-9 on penalties.
Busquets celebrated the win at the end of the game. “I’m really happy to win the first title for this team in just one month.” The midfielder made his debut at the same time as Messi and both were later joined by Jordi Alba, which gave Inter’s first title a certain Barça touch. “We infect the team with our spirit, our work, our experience. (…) And we also have Leo, who makes the difference because he’s the best in the world,” added Busquets.
In his debut game, the Argentine gave Inter the win with a free-kick in added time. He has scored in the seven games he has played so far and has doubled in three of them. Busquets has brought order to the team and Alba, depth on the left wing. Messi appeared before the press this week for the first time since his debut and said he regained the joy of playing football in Miami that he lost at PSG. He feels important and he is, even if it’s a lower-level championship.
Inter Miami are bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, which was suspended just over a month ago over the Leagues Cup dispute. The group that went weeks without a win is now a champion team.
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