Leo Messi led Inter Miami to the first final in its history on Tuesday, after beating the Philadelphia Union 4-1 in the Leagues Cup semifinals, and took advantage of the opportunity to score the farthest goal of his career with a missile from more than 32 meters.
With 0-1 on the scoreboard, Messi grabbed a ball served by the Venezuelan Josef Martínez in midfield and saw the rival goalkeeper, Andre Blake, go back to his goal in a disorderly manner.
The genius of Rosario did not think so, who from more than 32 meters unleashed a low and very hard left-footed shot that surprised an unanswered Blake and which, according to the official broadcast of the Leagues Cup on Apple TV, was the furthest goal in Messi's glorious career.
Furthermore, this is Messi's ninth goal in just six games with Inter Miami. Those six games also ended in victory for those from Florida. Inter Miami will face the winner of the duel between Nashville and Monterrey in the final.
The pass to the final of the Leagues Cup comes with an extra prize since it gives Inter Miami the qualification for the Concacaf Champions Cup. With unquestionable forcefulness in the face of the rival goal (five shots from the visitors to 16 from the locals) and a great performance by their goalkeeper Drake Callender, Inter Miami sealed the match at halftime with a 0-3 loss against a Philadelphia Union in 'shock'.
The Venezuelan Josef Martínez, the Spanish Jordi Alba and the American of Honduran descent David Ruíz scored for those from Miami while the American of Colombian origin Alejandro Bedoya scored for the Philadelphia team.
With this triumph, the radical turn experienced by the club with the arrival of Messi is already a fact. From being the bottom team in the East in MLS, with eleven games in a row without winning, to becoming an overwhelming team with six wins in six Leagues Cup games, one step away from their first title.
It all started just a month ago. Friday, July 21, was marked on the agenda of all US soccer fans for Messi's debut with those of Miami, but the genius from Rosario not only played his first minutes with his new team but also signed a debut worthy of a Hollywood movie. The Argentine entered the second half with his team already beating Cruz Azul 1-0, but Uriel Antuna gave the Mexican team the equalizer and the game went straight to the tables.
The anomaly of seeing Messi as a substitute did not last long since in his duel against Atlanta United he was part of Gerardo Tata Martino's starting eleven. Messi only needed 22 minutes in that game to seal his first double in Miami, a recital that opened the door for Inter to thrash the Atlanta team 4-0 and close the group stage of the Leagues Cup with two victories in two matches.
He also scored two goals in the Florida derby of the round of 32 in which Inter Miami beat Orlando City 3-1. Later, Messi signed the third consecutive double against Dallas in the round of 16, although this was the toughest game of the series. Inter Miami trailed 4-2 at minute 80, but an own goal from Marco Farfán and another splendid free-kick from the Argentine star tied the score in a miraculous final stretch for the visitors. Penalties did the rest.
Much calmer and more relaxed was their duel against Charlotte, a team that Miami crushed 4-0 in a game in which Messi, although he scored the last goal, did not have to put all the meat on the grill. With the victory against Philadelphia last morning, a historic streak was consolidated, with a Messi who is already making history in the US.
