FC Dallas vs Inter Miami, In his third successive game with two goals for Inter Miami, Lionel Messi scored on another incredible free kick, leveling the score and helping Inter Miami defeat FC Dallas 5-4 on penalties to advance in the League Cup.
Both Messi’s goal in the 85th minute for a 4-4 tie and the game-winning goal in his Inter Miami debut came on free kicks in the closing seconds from just beyond the penalty area and snuck past the goalkeeper into the upper corner of the net.
Using the same technique he used to defeat Cruz Azul 2-1 in his Inter Miami debut, the left-footed superstar beat Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes to the near post this time.
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FC Dallas vs Inter Miami: 1
Inter Miami will face the winner of Monday night’s match between Charlotte FC and Houston in the League Cup quarterfinals thanks to the victory in the round of 16.
The second of Messi’s three straight games with two goals came in Miami’s 3-1 League Cup victory over Orlando City, which was delayed by an hour and a half due to excessive rain in Florida.
On the 14th straight day of triple-digit heat in the Dallas area, Messi’s fifth game in Texas featured a kickoff temperature of 100 degrees (38 degrees Celsius).
Near the midway point of each half, teams took a heat break due to the soaring temperatures.
FC Dallas vs Inter Miami: 2
On a feed from his old FC Barcelona colleague Jordi Alba, Messi scored his new U.S. club’s first goal outside of Florida in the sixth minute with another left-footed strike from outside the penalty area. On an offsides call that was initially ruled against it, it was later upheld on review.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion for Argentina has seven goals overall after scoring in each of Inter Miami’s four games. Before the 36-year-old’s arrival, his new American team had lost nine consecutive MLS games and was 0-4 in the League Cup.
Miami coach Gerardo Martino stated on the team’s official website: “We are very glad to be moving on and these types of games help us to continue to develop as a team and fix our mistakes.”
The first one was observed at the home of Miami co-owner David Beckham 17 days earlier. He was there for this game too, in a stadium where tickets that usually cost around $40 were going for hundreds of dollars, and in some cases, were priced for more than $1,000.
FC Dallas vs Inter Miami: 3
The first penalty kick was taken by Messi, who approached his effort into the right corner slowly. Paxton Pomykal’s over-the-crossbar miss on Dallas’ second chance made a difference.
Miami won the shootout 5-3 thanks to a goal by Benjamin Cremaschi in the 65th minute to secure the victory.
Robert Taylor’s own goal gave FC Dallas a 4-2 lead in the 68th minute, but Dallas quickly responded with another own goal in the 80th. On a free kick from outside the left corner of the penalty box, Messi crossed the ball for Marco Farfan, who headed it into the goal.
Soon later, Taylor experienced a moment of redemption when Eugene Ansah fouled him, setting up Messi for a replay that enraged the 19,096 spectators.
FC Dallas vs Inter Miami: 4
FC Dallas overcame a 1-0 deficit due to goals from Facundo Quignon and Bernard Kamungo in the first half.
In the 63rd minute, Alan Velasco, an Argentinean who grew up idolizing Messi, made it 3-1 with a spinning free kick that eluded multiple players and goalkeeper Drake Callender.
The 20-year-old Velasco declared, “Today, I realized one of my biggest dreams.” “I finally got to share the field with him after watching him play for many years. It was such a surreal experience.”
After Velasco’s goal, Cremaschi cut Inter Miami’s deficit to one goal two minutes later, setting up the exciting conclusion. Cremaschi’s goal was assisted by Messi, who sent a pass that Alba intercepted just short of the goal line and then sent to Cremaschi.
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