Inter Miami left Geodis Park in Nashville, US as this year’s Leagues Cup champions after winning the series’ final that finished 1-1 after 90 minutes as a result of Lionel Messi’s legendary goal and an intense duel between both team’s goalkeepers during penalties (10-9).
The team, once dubbed the “worst team” of the Leagues Cup, bagged its first trophy in the series as Messi scored a fantastic goal into the top corner to give them the lead in the 24th minute, but Nashville’s Fafa Picault tied the score in the second half. The game went to a shoot-out after Miami’s Leonardo Campana squandered a last-second opportunity to win it in regulation.
The shoot-out ended with a duel between the two goalkeepers, with Miami’s Drake Callender saving Elliot Panicco’s shot.
All 10 outfield players had already taken their shots, with one miss for each side, therefore the keepers were the ones to decide penalties in the last minutes of the game. Callender thwarted Panicco with his shot and the crowd roared in celebration.
Messi and his teammates celebrated with the American goalkeeper congratulating him after he had made some key saves late in the game to maintain his team’s lead. “The grit, just the belief and what we’re capable of. It’s something special and I’m just blessed to be a part of it,” he said.
Miami, a team in its third season, has been on an unbeaten run to the League Cup title after signing Messi a month ago.
The seven-times Ballon d’Or winner has scored 10 goals in seven games and has the chance to reach another final when his team takes on Cincinnati in the semi-final of the US Open Cup on Wednesday. This was not the dominant, entertaining Miami that in the past month has lit up the tournament, featuring MLS and Mexican Liga MX clubs, but the win was sweet nonetheless, AFP reported.
“It was very exciting. The draw was a fair result and on penalties is the luck of the champion, which in this case came in our favour,” said Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets.
“I am very happy to win our first title in just one month, the club’s first. The team is growing by leaps and bounds and we are very happy,” he said. “We have infected the team with our spirit, our work, our character and our experience. We are making a solid team… And then we have Leo, who makes a difference because he’s the best in the world.”
Nashville went into the game with the explicit goal of limiting Busquets’ and subsequently Messi’s impact, and they were successful in making Miami play a slower style of possession football deeper in their own half.—APP
