Lionel Messi puts Inter Miami into Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup
Lionel Messi once again showcased his brilliance in a convincing 3-1 victory over Orlando City during the Round of 32 in the Leagues Cup at DRV PNK Stadium on a Wednesday night. The game was delayed by 90 minutes due to a thunderstorm in South Florida. Discover Lionel Messi puts Inter Miami into Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup.
Messi wasted no time in making an impact, scoring in the 7th minute after a spectacular pass from Robert Taylor. He chested the ball down and calmly put it past the goalkeeper, Pedro Gallese. However, Orlando City fought back and equalized in the 17th minute through a goal by Cesar Araujo, following a skillful play by Ivan Angulo.
The first half was intense, with Messi receiving several fouls and eventually getting a yellow card for tripping Wilder Cartagena. Despite the challenges, Messi hit the post and had a free-kick saved as Inter Miami dominated possession and created chances to score.
The second half saw more drama as a controversial foul in the penalty area led to a spot-kick for Inter Miami. Surprisingly, Messi entrusted Josef Martinez with the responsibility, and Martinez converted the penalty successfully.
In the 72nd minute, Messi and Martinez combined again to seal the victory, with Messi completing his second consecutive brace. Despite a late effort from Orlando City that resulted in a disallowed goal due to an offside call after a VAR review, Inter Miami secured a 3-1 win.
With this triumph, Inter Miami maintains a perfect record in the Leagues Cup with three consecutive wins. Their next challenge will be against FC Dallas in the Round of 16, which will also be Messi’s first away game with the team.
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