Inter Miami changed coach just a month ago and celebrated the debut of Lionel Messi, and today celebrates the first trophy in history. League Cup in Florida. The previously unassuming MLS club owes it mainly to Leo.
Messi made his debut for Inter Miami in the match against Cruz Azul: it was matchday 1 of the League Cup and immediately the victory that the Argentine gave his new team with a free-kick goal. In the second round, Atlanta United was beaten heavily (Inter Miami’s biggest win – 4: 0), Orlando City fell next, and Dallas was defeated in the 1/8 final in a penalty shootout. In the quarterfinals, again 4:0, already with Charlotte, in the semifinals, four goals against Philadelphia. And here is the end.
Nashville held on for 23 minutes, but the first mistake cost the team a goal. Nashville’s defensemen were distracted and missed the moment Messi received the ball outside the box. Leo quickly got his bearings and got past four defenders. Another goal, another impressive blow, after which the commentators went into ecstasy: they shouted several times “It is inevitable”, “It is predictable”.
In the second half, Nashville scored: after a Fafa corner, Pico headed into the fall, the ball hit the Miami goalkeeper’s leg and bounced off the goal. Inter still had a moment before the end of regulation – a shot on the post, but otherwise Nashville had an advantage in shots on goal. Floridians goaltender Drake Collender saved the team time and time again.
The penalty shootout turned out to be powerful, even the goalkeepers had to beat. And then Inter turned out to be stronger: at first the teams did not convert on the shot, and then, when it was the turn of the goalkeepers, the Miami goalkeeper Collender scored himself and dragged the shot of a colleague from Nashville.
The video is available on the Major League Soccer YouTube channel. The rights of the video belong to the MLS.
“It’s quite surreal,” he shared his emotions after the game. – Very emotional. This team works hard every day to be able to perform like this on such an important evening for us. Perseverance and faith in what we are capable of doing helped us. It’s something special and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
“It was very exciting,” said Sergio Busquets. – Penalty is the luck of the champion, who in this case turned out to be on our side. I am very happy to win our first title in just one month. The team is growing by leaps and bounds and we are very happy. We have infected the team with our spirit, our work, our character and experience. We create a cohesive team. And then we have Leo, he is the best in the world.”
How Inter Miami changed for Messi:
Beckham did everything possible for Messi. What have superstars done for comfort?
After Callender’s decisive save, Messi jumped like a child, as if it were the first trophy of his life.
Lionel Messi
Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Inter have never lost in seven games in a row, which was an all-time record for the team. Before that, the club won only twice in 13 games.
The team went straight to the 1/8 final of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Messi became the top scorer in the League Cup, scoring ten goals in seven games. Leo also occupied the third position in the list of the top scorers in the history of Inter Miami, but already this season he has every chance of becoming the first (now the top is headed by Gonzalo Higuain with 29 goals).
Messi with the League Cup Player of the Year and Top Scorer awards
Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
This cup is the 44th trophy in Leo’s career. He is the footballer with the most titles in the world at the moment.
The top scorers of Inter Miami, or who has left to beat Messi to lead the lead:
Stories
Messi is already in the top 3 of Inter Miami’s top scorers! Who has Leo left to beat?
Messi made it to the worst team in MLS and took it to the title, for which today’s media headlines in the United States once again dedicate him: “the best”, “irreplaceable”, “the greatest” and a dozen more than similar epithets that have literally grown up along with his name. But despite all this, he is still human. Prior to his arrival, the team captain was Deandre Yedlin, so Leo called him to lift the trophy together.
“InterMiami”
Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
David Beckham watched the celebrations from the side – the club’s co-owner sat on the grass and, it seemed, simply could not believe that all this was really happening.
david beckham
Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
“Hopefully this is just the beginning… Come on, Inter Miami!” Messi wrote on the social network.
A great start to a new chapter in the history of the club, in whose success few believed. Before Leo arrived at Inter.
