The inimitable Lionel Messi continues to show his magic far away in the USA. He turned down Saudi millions this summer, he didn’t want to go to Al Hilal, but he didn’t want to return to Barcelona after two years in Paris Saint-Germain. After winning the World Cup in Qatar with Argentina, he seems to have fulfilled all his dreams. Now it’s a game for the soul. At the end of his career, he joined Inter from Miami, a club where English superstar David Beckham is one of the owners. And… He’s doing well. In four games in the Concacaf League Cup, a competition consisting of MLS and Mexico clubs, he scored an impressive seven goals. Inter was on the verge of elimination in the round of 16 against Dallas, losing until the 80th minute – 2:4, but then first an own goal 3:4, and five minutes later Messi’s remarkable free kick ended the game 4-4.Messi. Free kick. Inevitable. pic.twitter.com/ykUh52xqDP— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 7, 2023 Penalties determined the participants of the quarterfinals. Messi was the first to take the ball and checkmated the home team’s goalkeeper Marten Paes. All five players from Miami were accurate but Paxton Pomykal from Dallas missed from 11 meters in the second series, so Inter won a place among the eight best in this competition. In the third consecutive game, the former Barca ace scored two goals. First, against the Mexican Cruz Azul, he scored his debut goal for the team from Florida, and then he shook the net twice against Atlanta, Orlando and now Dallas and showed that even at the age of 36, he can still show magic.Jordi Alba pass it to Messi and Messi scores for inter Miami ,just like old days 🐐#DALvMIA #MLS #Messi #Goat #MLSSeasonPass pic.twitter.com/gURsM7SErJ— Adeoti Emmanuel (@wilsadeotii) August 7, 2023 Left-back Jordi Alba also had a great game in Inter’s starting line-up. The Spaniard made his debut for the team from Miami last week against Orlando, playing 27 minutes in the second leg. Now he only needed six minutes to employ his long-time teammate as if on a plate, and Messi gave his team the lead with a precise and powerful shot from 17 meters. Another former Barcelona ace, Sergio Busquets, joined Messi in Florida this summer. It seemed then that the team from Miami would easily conquer Texas, but the host woke up, and by the end of the half, they turned the score around. The score then turned from 3-1 to 3-2, then 4-2, before an own goal and Messi’s free-kick levelled the score. There was no overtime, penalties were immediately shot. Messi, Busquets, Campania, Miller and Kremasi were precise. At Dallas, goals were scored by Arriola, Quiñon and Ferreira, but not by Pomical, so Inter continues its quest for the trophy in this competition.##NAJAVA_MECA_7415477##
