Five games, eight goals
Lionel Messi also scores in Miami’s runaway victory
08/12/2023, 10:35 am
Lionel Messi has played five games in the MLS so far, but the Argentine superstar uses the little time very effectively: eight goals have already been scored. The league is amazed.
Lionel Messi took Inter Miami to the semi-finals of the North American Leagues Cup with his eighth goal in five games and remains unbeaten with his new team. The world champions from Argentina scored the goal in the 86th minute in the 4-0 (2-0) win over Charlotte FC. He was also instrumental in the 3-0 with the penultimate pass, Charlotte’s A Malanda then scored an own goal in his save attempt. Josef Martínez gave Miami the lead with a penalty goal (12th minute), Robert Taylor scored to make it 2-0 (32nd).
“When you have Messi, you know he only needs one chance. He only needs one second,” said Charlotte coach Christian Lattanzio. “You have to be very careful to keep him from the magic he’s been exuding since he went to Barcelona when he was 16.” Messi had already made his new opponents swarm in the previous rounds. “I don’t think there’s much to say about that. I think everyone can see it,” said FC Dallas coach Nico Estévez, whom Inter Miami eliminated after a hard fight. “It’s obvious that a free-kick for him is like a penalty for another player. You have to pray that the ball goes wide or that he falls trying to kick the ball.” Messi scored against the Texans with a free kick, among other things.
“We had a good start with the two goals,” said Sergio Busquets, who, like Messi and Jordi Alba, moved to Miami a few weeks ago and organized the hosts’ game with many good passes. Miami meets the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals on Tuesday evening (local time) with German defender Kai Wagner. Hany Mukhtar is also in the semi-finals with Nashville FC. The Berliner scored the final score in the 5-0 win against Minnesota and prepared three more goals. He was also involved in almost all of his team’s good offensive actions.