Inter Miami star Lionel Messi extended his scoring streak in Tuesday’s Leagues Cup match against the Philadelphia Union, netting a goal from distance in the 20th minute. Here’s what you need to know:
- Messi — who took the sole lead in the Leagues Cup Golden Boot race during Miami’s 4-0 win over Charlotte FC on Friday — has scored nine goals in six games with Inter Miami.
- Josef Martínez opened the scoring for Miami earlier in the match, with a goal in the third minute. Jordi Alba also scored just before the half to put Miami up 3-0.
- Inter Miami, which sits last in the Eastern Conference in MLS, is looking to earn a bid to the CONCACAF Champions Cup with a win on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi has scored in every single match he has played with Inter Miami CF ????
Nine goals in six games – Messi has taken over the #LeaguesCup.
???? @MLSpic.twitter.com/91n6XsQclv
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 15, 2023
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Another one
Another Inter Miami game, another Messi goal. It’s clockwork at this point.
Messi hadn’t made a big impact in the game early on but then it all changed in an instant. He picked up the ball with a ton of space in transition and fired past Andre Blake from distance, though it wasn’t the finest moment for the three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
Messi has a beautiful ability for blending into a crowd and then bursting to life to lose defenders. He also has the beautiful ability to shoot into the corners but, well, that much is obvious.
It was also another instance of Martínez linking up with Messi. Martínez was clattered in the build-up to the goal, with Messi scoring directly after the referee played advantage. Martínez has his grips on the first-choice center forward role over Ecuador international Leo Campana at the moment. — Bogert
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(Photo: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
