Izuchukwu Okosi
Seven-time Ballon D’Or winner, Lionel Messi scored a brace in the early hours of Thursday (Nigerian time) in the MLS Major League in the USA as his team Inter Miami defeated Orlando City 3-1 to qualify for the last 16 of the Leagues Cup.
Play was delayed for 95 minutes due to thunderstorms but it took Messi only seven minutes after the eventual kickoff to put Inter Miami ahead.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe former Barcelona and PSG superstar began the move that led to the goal, making an intelligent run before being found by a Robert Taylor chipped pass.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner then controlled the ball brilliantly before letting fly a volley from the edge of the box.
Orlando City restored parity 10 minutes after Messi’s goal when Uruguayan midfielder Cesar Araujo pounced on a loose ball off a corner and fired it home.
Miami however went ahead again three minutes into the second half when Josef Martinez scored from the penalty spot.
Taylor and Martinez then combined in the 72nd minute on a counter-attack to set up Messi for another close-range volley and the unmarked Argentine made no mistake to beat Pedro Gallese in Orlando’s goal.
It was Messi’s fifth goal in three games, after he scored against Cruz Azul and Atlanta United in the group stage of the tournament.
Araujo thought he had pulled one back for Orlando in the ninth minute of injury time with a tap-in at the far post but the goal was ruled out by video-assisted review for being offside.
Inter Miami will next face FC Dallas, who beat Mexican side Mazatlan 2-1.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
