Messi performs now-routine Leagues Cup miracle, pushes Inter Miami into quarters

In just four games, Messi has been everything Inter Miami could have hoped for — and more

In just four games, Lionel Messi has been everything Inter Miami could have hoped for — and more.

Messi’s latest salvo came in his first away game with Inter Miami, a Leagues Cup last-16 match against FC Dallas that may have somehow come close to justifying the astronomical prices many paid for tickets at Toyota Stadium.

The Argentine legend would, for the third time in four games, score a brace, taking his total to seven goals in his brief Inter Miami career.

Messi’s first goal would open the scoring while his second would end it, tying a wild match at 4-4 in the 85th minute. The World Cup winner would go on to convert his spot kick in a penalty shootout for good measure, as Inter Miami would reach the quarterfinal with a 5-3 win on penalties.

As Inter Miami manager Tata Martino put it succinctly after the game: “We have the best player in the world. That can’t be ignored.”

Messi’s opener came on a first-time strike assisted by Jordi Alba, who made his first Inter Miami start on the night. Incredibly, Messi has now scored inside of eight minutes in all three of his Inter Miami starts thus far.

FC Dallas would hit back with three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead in the 63rd minute. Benjamin Cremaschi quickly struck back for the Herons to make it 3-2, but a Robert Taylor own goal restored the home side’s two-goal lead in the 68th minute.

But Inter Miami wasn’t done. A Marco Farfan own goal made it 4-3 before Messi was presented with a chance to tie the game with just five minutes left in normal time. Just like he did in his debut against Cruz Azul, Messi took full advantage of his chance to play the hero from a late free kick.

“It’s obvious that for him a free kick around there is like a PK for another player. That’s it,” FC Dallas head coach Nico Estévez said after the game. “I think there’s not much to say. Everyone can see it, and he’s very consistent. You just have to pray the ball goes out of bounds or he falls in the run-up to kick the ball.”

Next up for Inter Miami is a quarterfinal at home on Friday, where Messi will be looking to make it five straight wins, and five straight games with a goal. His introduction to life with Inter Miami is somehow going even better than expected.

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