Lionel Messi once again displayed his brilliance, leading Inter Miami to a thrilling victory over FC Dallas in the Leagues Cup. Despite facing a 2-1 deficit at halftime and being down 3-1 at the start of the second half, Inter Miami made a remarkable comeback, with Messi’s outstanding performance as the catalyst.
Leo scored two crucial goals, including a magical free-kick in the 85th minute, which levelled the score at 4-4. Inter Miami’s own goal, by Robert Taylor in the 68th minute, seemed like a potential game-changer, especially after Benjamin Cremaschi’s goal just three minutes later, putting FC Dallas ahead 4-2.
But, Messi was not to be denied. His incredible free-kick, which deflected off FC Dallas’ Marco Farfan, resulted in an own goal in the 80th minute, shifting the momentum in Inter Miami’s favour. And just before the penalty shootout, Messi’s final free-kick set the stage for Inter Miami’s dramatic comeback.
Check how David Beckham reacted after Messi scored from that magic free-kick:
FC Dallas coach Nico Estévez acknowledged the difficulty in dealing with Messi’s free-kicks, stating, “It’s obvious that for him a free-kick around that area is like a penalty kick for another player.”
The match headed to a penalty shootout after Messi’s game-tying heroics. Messi, who won the coin toss, confidently scored the first penalty for Inter Miami. FC Dallas’ Paxton Pomykal’s miss on the second kick proved costly, sealing the home team’s fate despite their impressive performance.
Benjamin Cremaschi, 18-year-old Miami native of Argentine descent, emerged as the hero, converting the final penalty kick for Inter Miami. Cremaschi’s goal in the 65th minute earlier sparked Inter Miami’s incredible comeback after coming off the bench.
