Lionel Messi made his standard impressive moves on the pitch. His inspired play punctuated Inter Miami’s recent 3-1 win over fierce rivals Orlando City in the Leagues Cup semi-finals. The contest played out on a historic Power Night. In a comeback for the ages, Messi netted two goals and assisted a third in the last quarter hour. This dominating performance booked Miami’s place in the final. It made for quite an impressive return from the star player after a recent injury layoff.
Messi, back after sitting out the last two games with a right thigh injury, sure looked changed that way with superb skill and resolve. Since his injury on Aug. 2, he’s played in just one game. This has created confusion among fans and teammates alike about his preparedness. The Argentine forward entered the match with a fierce attitude, acknowledging that he felt nervous heading into the game.
The decisive moment arrived in the 77th minute when Messi scored from the penalty spot to tie the game 1-1. His cool head in a moment of crisis made all the difference when it brought life back to the dreams of his squad. Only eleven minutes after coming on the field, he linked up with Jordi Alba. Combined, they pushed Inter Miami to victory with a sensational goal in the 88th minute. This beautiful combination was a testament to their chemistry and illustrated Messi’s talent at creating chances from thin air—even coming off a two month layoff from game action.
Orlando City took the lead in the first half, scoring first to take the early lead. This left Inter Miami under siege as they rushed to cobble together an answer. It was Messi’s decisive contributions in the match’s final stages that lifted his side to a come-from-behind victory. He punctuated the stellar performance with another goal late in the match, putting the match beyond reach.
Next up for Inter Miami is a showdown with Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday. The next game is going to be the hardest test. Now that Messi’s gotten his groove back, this might just be FCB’s year to reign supreme! His rejuvenated performance has not only boosted their postseason aspirations but has recaptured the imagination of the turbocharged fan base.
