Inter Miami 4 (5): 4 (3) Dallas FC
Messi, With less than 30 minutes left in the match, Inter Miami trailed 3-1. At that time, a team that could be trusted was Lionel Messi in Miami. It was Messi who saved Inter Miami against Dallas FC by writing a great comeback story.
Miami’s Benjamin Crimasci made it 3-2 in the 65th minute. Jordi Alba gave the last pass to Benjamin on the way to the goal. And as he fell from outside the box, Messi raised the ball to Alba.
Then again Dallas FC lead 4-2. Messi “contributed” to the next two goals to equalize the team. His free-kick was the source of the goal that made it 4-3. Then in the 85th minute, another great free-kick hit the net directly.
Miami did not have to be disappointed in the tiebreaker thanks to Messi’s double goals. Inter Miami beat Dallas 5-3 to reach the last eight of the Leagues Cup. Messi will face Charlotte FC in the last eight tomorrow.
The match at the Toyota Stadium in Dallas was Messi’s first away match in an Inter Miami jersey. The Argentine star, who scored 5 goals in the previous 3 matches, got a goal in the opponent’s field at the beginning. In the 6th minute of the match, Messi put the ball in the net with a strong shot from outside the box. This is his fastest goal in Miami.
However, Miami could not hold this early lead. Dallas scored two goals in a span of 8 minutes at the end of the first half. Argentina midfielder Facundo Quignon scored in the 37th minute, Tanzania’s Bernard Kamungo in the 45th minute.
Dallas FC maintained this rhythm towards the end of the first half in the second half. At this time, the team continued to attack the Miami defense one after another. Dallas got the third goal in the 63rd minute. The 21-year-old Argentine winger Alan Valesco touched the ball from a free-kick into the net.
The speed at which Dallas was running at that moment of the match, many assumed Miami’s loss. But replacement Benjamin Crimasci quickly brought Miami back into contention. The 18-year-old midfielder from the United States took a shot from close range when Alba caught Messi’s extended ball and put it in the goal.
After five minutes, the match again became dramatic. This time Miami’s midfielder Robert Taylor put the ball in his own net. However, Dallas could not keep the goal advantage from the suicide for long. In the 80th minute, Dallas’ Marco Farfan gave Miami a suicide goal. It can be said that Messi had the ‘assist’ in this goal. Farfan headed the ball into the net from his measured free kick. The scoreline of the match was 4-3.
Then Messi-Magic! Messi scored the goal that was needed to equalize in the 85th minute. The Argentine star netted a free-kick just outside the box near the goal post. The Dallas players, standing against the wall, jumped but could not reach, the ball went over their heads. Again, the goalkeeper of the team could not reach the right direction after realizing that the ball was coming. Messi brought Miami to a 4-4 tie with a great free-kick.
Messi took the first shot in the tiebreaker. Effortlessly dodged the goalkeeper in one shot and sent the ball into the net. Miami scored on the next 4 shots. A fifth shot was unnecessary as Dallas failed to score on one of the first 4 shots.