Lionel Messi shone bright again for Inter Miami as the club toppled MLS side Charlotte FC in Leagues Cup quarterfinal clash at the DRV PNK Stadium in Florida.
It was another Lionel Messi show in Florida as the Argentina 2022 World Cup legend powered Inter Miami to a comfortable 4-0 win over Charlotte FC.
The revamped Inter Miami side, boosting of Barcelona legends and veterans such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba took the visitors to the cleaners with an emphatic win that moved the team closer to their first major trophy.
Two goals in each halves condemned Charlotte FC to a heavy defeat before the ‘Messi-maniac’ 22,000-capacity sold out stadium.
After a swath of possession and dominant display by the home side, Martinez opened the scoring in the 12th minute, converting a spotkick to give the home side the lead.
Taylor doubled the lead in the 32nd minute to secure the win as Inter Miami went into the first half break with a deserved 2-0 lead.
Charlotte FC fought to pull a comeback but ended up stabbing themselves at the back late in the second half. A 78th-minute own goal by Malanda put the game beyond the visitors.
Lionel Messi strikes again for Inter Miami, scores in fifth consecutive match
Lionel Messi was also on the scoresheet for Inter Miami during the game. The seven times Ballon d’Or winner scored a late goal for Inter Miami to seal the victory. Messi has now scored in his first five consecutive games for the club as he wrapped up the win with a 86th-minute strike.
He has now scored in all his appearances for Inter Miami since making his debut on a Leagues Cup clash against Mexican club Cruz Azul.
Leo netted the winning goal for Inter Miami, scoring a sensational stoppage-time freekick to hand Inter Miami a win over Cruz Azul.
He bagged a brace in his second game against Atlanta United, scoring Inter Miami first and second goal as the club raced to a 4-0 win over Atlanta United.
Messi also hit a double as Inter Miami saw off Orlando City 3-1 in Leagues Cup at DRV PNK Stadium to progress to the next round of the competition.
Against FC Dallas at the Toyota Stadium, Inter Miami nearly crashed out of Leagues Cup after trailing FC Dallas 4-3 late into the second half. Messi spurned out a magical performance, scoring a late equaliser to bag his third consecutive brace and drag the game to shootouts where Inter Miami won.
The goal against Charlotte FC was his eighth strike for Inter Miami. The Barcelona legend is now tipped to smash the record set by his countryman and former national team pal, Gonzalo Higuain, who is the club’s all-time highest goalscorer with 27 goals.
Lionel Messi is now 19 goals away from smashing Higuain’s record and will hope to continue in his fine form when traveling with the squad to Subaru Park to take on Philadelphia in Leagues Cup Semifinal on 16 August 2023.
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