 "Lionel Messi’s Heroics Propel Inter Miami to US Open Cup Finals")
Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi helped Inter Miami advance to the US Open Cup finals on Thursday night.
In the semi-final match against the home FC Cincinnati, he assisted on two goals and converted his attempt in the final shootout. Inter won the penalty shootout 5:4 after the duel ended in a 2:2 draw in regular time and 3:3 after extra time.
The guests were still losing 0:2 in the 68th minute, but then came Messi’s moments. The 36-year-old attacker passed to teammate Leonardo Campana for two goals. First, he found him with a cross from a direct kick and the Ecuadorian lowered it with a header. In the seventh minute of added time, they repeated their cooperation after a very similar situation, this time Messi crossed from play and Campana headed the ball into the net from close range, thus saving Miami extra time. In the shootout, Inter’s players converted all their attempts, on the Cincinnati side, Nick Hagglund failed in the fifth series.
Although Messi did not score in the match for the first time since arriving in Miami, he was able to lead his team to another final. On Saturday, he triumphed with Inter in the final of the Leagues Cup, when Nashville also defeated in a shootout from 11 m. Miami are unbeaten in eight games since the arrival of Messi and his former FC Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
The US Open Cup is the oldest and most important knockout cup competition in the USA, which has been played since 1914. In the fight for the trophy, Inter Miami will meet the Houston Dynamo, who beat Real Salt Lake 3:1 after extra time in the second semi-final meeting. The final in Miami is scheduled for September 27.
2023-08-24 05:15:00
#VIDEO #Lionel #Messi #unstoppable #USA #Inter #Miami #brought #final #Sport.sk
