It was another Lionel Messi show at the Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee as Inter Miami won their first silverware in the club’s history.
Lionel Messi’s electric effect since making his debut for the team against Cruz Azul, ensured that Inter Miami got their hands on a trophy in two months.
Inter Miami’s road to the final was punctuated with both big wins and narrow victories. Against Nashville, with a roaring home fans, it was a different ball game for Inter Miami.
It was a tightly-contested clash but as usual Lionel Messi made the difference.
Lionel Messi produced one of his usual magical moments to hit his 10th goal in seven consecutive matches for Inter Miami since making his debut for the club in July.
Robert Taylor had attempted to feed him with a pass in Nashville’s half but the pass was blocked. Luckily, the rebound fell on the path of Messi who did his usual beautiful legwork dribbling pass Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman to curl a beautiful strike into the top left corner.
The goal saw the Florida-based MLS franchise close in on their first ever silverware but there was a lot to play for with just 27 minutes into the game.
Nashville mounted a deserved comeback against Inter Miami
After trailing by a lone goal, Nashville fought themselves vigorously back into the game. They mounted a formidable force against the star-studded side.
The hosts leveraged on corner set piece to equalise with Fafa Picault’s strike deflecting off Inter Miami’s goalie Drake Callender and then looping into the net.
The game was poised for an intriguing finish as both sides drew battle lines again to take the lead.
With a slight dominance in possession, Inter Miami could not make their glaring chances count as the match finally went into shootouts after 1-1 draw in regulation time
Penalty shootouts
Lionel Messi was the first to take the spotkick for Inter Miami. Messi effortlessly converted his spotkick for the visitors. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets also converted their spotkicks, and other Inter Miami players except Victor Ulloa.
Nashville players also converted their spotkicks but the dragging penalties which saw the two sides take it 10 times was finally broken when Randall Leal and Elliot Panicco missed their spotkicks with Inter Miami emerging with a 10-9 win.
Lionel Messi becomes the most decorated footballer in history after Leagues Cup win
Lionel Messi has now overtaken his former teammate at Barcelona Dani Alves as the most decorated and successful player in football history.
Messi went into the game against Nashville tied with Danie Alves on 43 trophies each for both club and country. After the Leagues Cup win, he has now taken his trophy tally to 44 – the most number of trophies ever won by a football player in history.
Messi is obviously flushed with success and is at the best level possible in his career at Inter Miami. However, his successes has not shrouded his sense of humility.
When the trophy was about to be presented to the players, Messi handed over the captain armband to DeAndre Yedlin, whom he took over from as new Inter Miami captain. Yedlin refused to accept the armband but Lionel Messi forced it on him and allowed him lift Inter Miami’s first ever silverware in the club’s history.
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