Messi's Effect : Historical win of Inter Miami

Lionel Messi has won his first championship with his new team, Inter Miami CF, and his 44th overall—the most by any player in history—less than two months after switching from PSG to Inter Miami CF on a free transfer (overview). It took 11 rounds of penalties to choose a winner between the two teams that joined Major League Soccer together in 2020. Inter Miami goalie Drake Callendar stopped Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco in the first round.

No matter the opposition, Lionel Messi has scored goals in the League Cup.

With a goal in the 23rd minute, that continued against Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup Final on Saturday at GEODIS Park.

Outside of the penalty area, Messi got the ball after it deflected off Walker Zimmerman. He then dribbled around Zimmerman and fired a shot that sailed past a diving Elliot Panicco and into the upper left corner. It was a vintage Messi goal.

A CHANCE IS RUINED BY CAMPANA! Campana received the ball near the half-way line without being marked, which was a fantastic counter from Miami. He launches himself into a lone pursuit and attempts to chip Panicco. Although Campana tries to recover it inside the goal after it misses its intended aim, he ultimately fails as the ball hits the crossbar! That would have been such a beautiful occasion! Penalties are forthcoming.

DISCRIPTION

Inter Miami defeated Nashville SC in a dramatic Leagues Cup final, giving Lionel Messi his first championship since moving to the US. The game, played at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee, was a suspenseful contest that required penalties to be decided after regulation time finished in a 1-1 draw.

Lionel Messi scored the game's opening goal in the 23rd minute. The Argentine superstar, who had just recently joined Inter Miami after seven previous games, displayed his remarkable abilities by latching onto a blocked shot at the top of the box, dribbling past two Nashville players, and curling a shot into the top corner. It was Messi's eighth goal of the competition.

Then, Nashville SC would boost the ante and throw assaults into the Miami box, especially in the second half. Their perseverance was ultimately rewarded when Nashville SC equalized the score in the 57th minute on a goal from a corner kick by Fafa Picault. Prior to Picault's head, the ball bounced. Picault headed it toward the goal, where it took a deflection from Cremaschi and went past Inter Miami goalie Callender.

The Miami goalie, who was called upon several times to keep the scores in tact, was the busiest of the two shot stoppers on Saturday. In the last seconds of stoppage time, Leonardo Campana had a chance to score the game-winning goal when he sprinted into the area, managed to chip the goalie, and reached the end of his own pass. The Inter Miami attacker, though, was only able to strike the ball against the post.

At the conclusion of regulation time, the scores were tied, thus penalties were used to decide the game. Messi chose Inter Miami to take the opening shot after winning the toss. The Argentine superstar would move and score his team's first penalty.

Both sides displayed tremendous talent and calm during the tough penalty shootout. But Callender stole the show, scoring in the shootout while stopping penalties from Nashville goalie Eliott Panicco and Inter Miami goalkeeper Landal Leal.

With a 10-9 victory on penalties, Inter Miami triumphed and won their first championship in club history.

After winning the League Cup with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi became the player with the most trophies in his career