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Messi
Messi scored his second consecutive double
The two goals in the 3-1 win over Orlando City on the morning of August 3 was the second consecutive double Lionel Messi scored for Inter Miami in a week.
* Scored: Messi 7′ & 72′, Josef Martínez 52′ – Cesar Araujo 17′
The opening goal came right in the 7th minute of the match in the round of 16 of the Leagues Cup, in a well-organized attack on the left wing. Robert Taylor, after feigning an Orlando defender, clicked the ball into the penalty area to let Messi support his chest and then volleyed his left foot to beat goalkeeper Pedro Gallese in the face-to-face phase.
Messi ‘s other goal came in 72 minutes, in a quick counterattack from the home field launched by the striker himself. Receiving the ball from Busquets, striker Argen tina took the lead for a few beats, feigned two opponents, and waved it for Taylor. The ball was then sent to the penalty area by winger number 16, where striker Josef Martínez took it loose, supported his chest and then passed it to Messi to volley with his right foot and beat Gallese.
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This is the third game in a row Messi has scored and helped Inter Miami win the Leagues Cup. In the group stage, in his debut match with the team, the Argentine striker came on from the 54th minute and then scored a super kick in the fourth minute to set a 2-1 win over Cruz Azul. In the next match against Atlanta United, the Argentine star contributed two goals and one assist to help Inter Miami win 4-0. In all three matches played, Messi was voted the Man of the Match.
At DRV PNK’s home field this morning, Inter Miami quickly forced the field to be rewarded with Messi’s early opening goal. Orlando had only 33 percent possession in the first half and needed just one shot on target to equalize 1-1 in the 17th minute from Cesar Araujo’s back-kick after a corner kick.
But the goal did not make the host flinch. They continued to press the field, concretizing the advantage of holding the ball 67% with seven shots. In the 31st minute, Messi nearly raised the score to 2-1 with a dangerous shot in the penalty area that hit the post.
After the break, Inter Miami continued to dominate and only had to wait until the 52nd minute to re-establish the lead. The striker Martinez was fouled in the penalty area, then personally took the penalty to make it 2-1. This is also the seventh goal of the Venezuelan striker for Inter Miami since the beginning of the 2023 season.
In the 66th minute, coach Tata Martino introduced another rookie of Inter Miami, Jordi Alba. And just six minutes later, the Spaniard was joined by his teammates to celebrate Messi’s goal to make it 3-1.
Orlando City is fifth in the Eastern group of the American Professional Football League (MLS) with 37 points, while Inter Miami is last with 18 points. However, that difference does not exist when they meet in the Leagues Cup today. Towards the end of the game, Orlando put all his strength to attack to reverse the situation, but failed. They once put the ball into the Inter Miami net in the 9th minute, but VAR intervened, refusing to recognize the goal for guest striker Araujo because of offside.
After the victory over Orlando, Inter Miami entered the 1/8 round to meet another American representative, FC Dallas on August 6. Also in the round of 16, FC Dallas defeated the Mexican team, Mazatlan 2-1.
The Leagues Cup is an annual tournament launched in 2019 between clubs from the American Professional Football League (MLS) and Mexico’s Liga MX in North America. This year’s tournament will take place from July 21 to August 19 with all 77 matches held in the US or Canada. The Leagues Cup is organized by the MLS and the Mexican Football Federation, and is ratified by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF).
For the first time in history, the 2023 Leagues Cup will feature all of the MLS and Liga MX teams – a total of 47 teams, when both will be suspended. According to the format, the two finalists and the third-placed team won a place to attend the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2024, in which the champion will go directly to the 1/8 round.