Rabat – World Cup winner Lionel Messi has successfully helped his new American club in the Major Soccer League (MLS) to reach their first-ever Leagues Cup final where they will be playing Nashville for a chance to win their first title ever.
The semi-final game against Philadelphia ended in a 4-1 win for Miami. Josef Martinez opened the scoring early for his Messi-led team in the 3rd minute. Lionel Messi then came back with a powerful 27-meter-long shot in the 20th minute.
Just before the end of the first half, FC Barcelona’s former left-back Jordi Alba managed to add the third goal and his first with his new team.
Philadelphia was more aggressive and determined to score in the second half, and Alejandro Bodaya successfully managed to do so as he found the back of the net in the 73rd minute.
But Philadelphia’s momentum did not last long as David Ruiz killed their hopes of a bold last-minute comeback by adding a 4th goal for Inter Miami in the 84th minute.
Since debuting for Miami FC, Lionel Messi has emerged as the leader and inspiration that the MLS club desperately needed to become a proper team and a contender for major trophies.
The world champion and the seven Ballon d’Or winner has already scored 9 goals in 6 games, making him “third on the club’s all-time scoring list, and is just 20 goals behind compatriot Gonzalo Higuain at the top,” CNN reported.
“We have to be happy and enjoy the moment,” Josef Martinez said of Inter Miami reaching the Leagues Cup final during a postgame interview on Apple TV.
The final game will take place on August 19 in Nashville, Tennessee at 02:00 AM Moroccan time.
