Messi's Magic Saves Inter Miami in Thrilling Encounter

• Soccer

The football world witnessed yet another spectacle from the incredible Lionel Messi as he shone brightly in the Inter Miami jersey. Not only did he save his team from the jaws of defeat, but he also showcased that age has not diminished his football prowess one bit.

From Kick-off to Penalty Shootout

The evening began with a bang for Inter Miami fans. Just six minutes into the game, a neat exchange between Messi and Alba on the left flank resulted in the Argentinian magician netting the ball from 18 meters out.

The scoreboard read 1:0 in favor of Miami.

NOT GONNA LIE

WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THIS

JORDI ALBA TO MESSI ? clean strike

pic.twitter.com/AGsTKCWxnn — TITUS ? (@MCFC_TITUS) August 7, 2023

However, the lead was short-lived.

Dallas, determined not to be overshadowed, made a comeback with goals from Quignon in the 37th minute and Kamungo right before halftime. The turnaround was completed when Velasco pushed Dallas to a 3:1 lead in the 63rd minute.

The game seemed to have slipped away from Miami when Taylor inadvertently scored an own goal, further widening the gap to 4:2.

This angle of Messi’s free kick ??

(via @MLS) pic.twitter.com/rPxgW8SQ25 — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 7, 2023

Yet, in a thrilling twist of fate, Dallas's Farfan netted an own goal in the 80th minute, reducing the score to 4:3.

With just five minutes left on the clock, up stepped Messi. Having displayed his brilliance countless times in similar situations, Messi executed a perfect free-kick that found its mark, equalizing the score at 4:4. The final whistle blew, and it was time for the nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

Messi, ever the reliable maestro, scored first. One by one, his teammates followed suit, with Pomykal from Dallas missing the crucial spot-kick. Inter Miami emerged victoriously with a 5:4 win on penalties and advanced to the quarterfinals.

A Stint to Remember

Lionel Messi's journey with Inter Miami has been nothing short of exceptional. In his past four appearances for the team, he has already netted seven goals and provided one assist. Notably, he has been named the best player in all of these games.