E-Paper
Lionel Messi magic powers stunning 3-goal blitz in final 15 minutes as Inter Miami storm into Leagues Cup final
Lionel Messi returned from injury and continued to sparkle for Inter Miami, scoring two late goals to turn the match around against Orlando City.
Inter Miami are through to a second Leagues Cup final in three years after an unsurprising dose of Lionel Messi magic saw the Argentinian wizard net two goals to help beat Orlando City FC in the semifinal. A 76th minute penalty and a deliciously-taken 88th minute go-ahead goal put Miami in front after they trailed in the first half. Telasco Segovia made full use of the counter-attack to wrap up the tie 3-1, setting up the final against the Seattle Sounders.
Inter Miami were frustrated for the first 75 minutes of the match after Orlando had scored in injury time during the first half, with Marco Pasalic firing in under controversial circumstances that had Miami appealing for a handball. A combination of some dogged defending and wasteful finishing meant Miami’s search for the equaliser became a struggle.
It was in another controversial circumstance that it came about: a whipped ball into the box from Jordi Alba was well-attacked by Tadeo Allende, with the referee judging the attacker was being held back by Orlando defender David Brekalo. With some grabbing in the box, the Orlando defender was sent off with a second yellow card, while Messi stepped up to coolly slot the penalty home.
12 minutes later, with Orlando massively on the backfoot down a man, Messi and Jordi Alba interlinked as they have so wonderfully right through the years to create the kind of opening in the box for Messi that has proven fatal for defences for nearly two decades now. With all the time in the world to pick his spot, Messi swept home for his second of the game, sending Chase Stadium in Miami into raptures.
After the restart, Orlando’s search for an equaliser of their own left too much space in behind for Segovia to exploit, as he traded a delicate one-two with Luis Suarez before nervelessly chipping it over the goalkeeper for 3-1. These late goals took Inter Miami through to their second Leagues Cup final, having won the tournament in 2023, where Messi scored 10 goals in 7 matches and won the player of the tournament award.
Their opponents in the final will be the Sounders, who were losing finalists to Mexican team Leon in the 2021 edition of the tournament. The Seattle team travelled to LA Galaxy and goals early in both halves were enough to seal a comfortable 2-0 victory.
