Messi scores his tenth Inter Miami goal as the team advances to the League Cup final
The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, had nothing but hate for Lionel Messi on Tuesday night as fans at Subaru Park heckled the Argentine Inter Miami star as he warmed up for the Leagues Cup semifinal game against the Philadelphia Union.
To assist Miami to a 4-1 rout and a position in the tournament title game on Saturday night, Messi scored his ninth goal in six games. Inter Miami, an MLS team in last place but enjoying a spectacular comeback, will take on Nashville SC in the championship match on the road with a chance to win the first trophy in the club’s history.
Inter Miami has scored 21 goals in the last six games since Messi joined the team, compared to just 22 goals in the first 22 games of the season. Miami has won six straight games after enduring an 11-game losing streak.
Furthermore, the Union had won 28 of its previous 29 home games dating back to last season, so coming out on top in Philadelphia was no easy achievement. Prior to Tuesday’s loss to Miami, the Union had given up just four goals in each of its first five League Cup contests.
With a one-touch right-footed shot in the third minute, Josef Martinez gave Miami the lead after seizing a long through pass from center-back Serhiy Kryvstov. Later, in the 20th minute, Kryvstov again made a deep pass, this time to Martinez, who then passed it to Messi, who then performed a magic trick.
Messi appeared to have tweaked his left ankle during training on Monday morning, raising some doubt as to whether he was entirely healthy going into the game. He clearly did not appear to be in any pain.
With his deadly left foot, Messi fired a cross-body rocket of a shot from 28 yards out into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0. He erupted into a wide grin and leaped in the air in jubilation.
There were many Messi supporters in the audience wearing pink jerseys and blue and white striped Argentina shirts, and they cheered for Messi’s goal.
The attention surrounding Messi did not surprise Philadelphia’s head coach, Jim Curtin.
“Of course, I think if you’re even a Union fan, you should respect and love how Messi plays the game, how he is as a human being, and how he is as a teammate,” Curtin said. “I’m fine with that portion, then. Pink: How much of it was there? Sure. Anywhere he goes, that will be the case. Philadelphia is where I was raised. Although I support the 76ers, I also like Michael Jordan. There is a small portion of that.
“He’s global. He’s literally the best to ever play our sport, and the way he does it, he’s humble. You can tell. I’m not saying I know him, but I can tell how people act when they’re on the field when they’re the best player and are still down to earth and want to win. To produce like he does, over and over, when he really doesn’t have to produce anymore.”
After Messi’s goal, Jordi Alba got in on the fun, racing up the left sideline to reach a perfect pass from Robert Taylor, and then making a decisive finish to the far post to widen the lead to 3-0 in first-half extra time. Alba, whose wife had their third child last month, celebrated the goal by making a heart with his hands and then sucking his thumb and pointing to the camera.
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