Messi’s Spectacular Free-Kick Propels Inter Miami to Triumph
Messi scored a stunning free-kick goal to help Inter Miami secure a 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on the morning of July 22nd. It was Messi’s first match for Inter Miami since joining the club, and he made a remarkable impact with his late appearance.
The match, held at DRV PNK stadium, drew a packed audience, including famous sports and entertainment figures in the US like LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, and Serena Williams.
Messi and his teammate Sergio Busquets were on the bench as they had recently returned to training after the summer break. However, their significant influence as top-notch stars who recently joined the team inspired the Inter Miami players to give their all against Cruz Azul from Liga MX (Mexico).
In the first half, midfielder Robert Taylor opened the scoring with a beautiful angled shot, giving Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. In the early second half, HLV Tata Martino decided to bring Messi and Busquets onto the field, sparking excitement among the fans at DRV PNK stadium.
Almost immediately, Messi left his mark on the match with some beautiful assists for his new teammates to have scoring opportunities. However, Inter Miami’s defense made some mistakes, allowing Cruz Azul to equalize 1-1 in the 65th minute through a goal by Uriel Antuna.
Messi’s presence greatly thrilled the American spectators.
The match continued to be tightly contested until the moment of Messi’s brilliance. In the 90+4 minute, Inter Miami was awarded a free-kick just outside the 16.50m box, and as usual, Messi stepped up to take it. With a mesmerizing left-footed shot, he sent the ball into the far corner, beating the Cruz Azul goalkeeper, and securing a 2-1 victory for Inter Miami.
This win marked Inter Miami’s first victory after a string of 11 winless matches (8 losses, 3 draws) in recent times. In the upcoming match against Atlanta United on July 26th (Vietnam time) in the Leagues Cup, Messi and Busquets are likely to start from the beginning.
