Messi Magic Lifts Inter Miami to Stunning Champions Cup Comeback
Wow, what a night in Fort Lauderdale! If you caught the Inter Miami vs. LAFC clash in the Concacaf Champions Cup, you witnessed yet another chapter in the legend that is Lionel Messi. Just when you think you’ve seen it all from the GOAT, he finds a way to amaze us again. Messi was the absolute heartbeat of the match, scoring two crucial goals—including an ice-cold penalty in the 84th minute—to help Inter Miami flip a 2-0 deficit into a dramatic 3-2 aggregate victory and punch their ticket to the semifinals.
From the first whistle, this one had drama written all over it. LAFC came out swinging with Aaron Long’s early goal in the 10th minute, doubling their aggregate lead after Nathan Ordaz’s first-leg strike. Inter Miami looked rattled—briefly. But then, as he always does, Messi responded. In the 35th minute, he found the net with a slick setup from Jordi Alba, cutting the lead and injecting life back into the stadium.
That was just the start of the chaos. Inter Miami had two goals ruled out after lengthy VAR reviews—a Messi free-kick for being too quick on the trigger, and a Suarez header assisted by Messi that was ruled offside. But the pressure kept mounting. In the 61st minute, Noah Allen chipped one into the goal to tie things up 2-2 on aggregate, and from there, the energy was electric.
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Then came the moment we were all waiting for. A handball inside the box by LAFC’s Marlon Santos handed Messi a penalty chance. And of course, cool as ever, he slotted it home. It was vintage Messi—composed, clinical, and clutch. That goal sealed the deal, sending Inter Miami into the semifinals of the Champions Cup for the very first time in club history.
The celebration was wild. Jorge Mas, David Beckham—everyone was in on the party. Even with all the tension and a late-game scuffle following a hard foul on Messi, Inter Miami held firm. Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari made key saves in crunch time, while young midfielder Federico Redondo put in a gritty defensive shift.
And all of this happened without Sergio Busquets, who was serving a suspension. The team stepped up big time, with players like Luis Suarez and Redondo filling the gaps and Messi, well, just being Messi.
Next up? A semifinal showdown with the Vancouver Whitecaps, who snuck through against Pumas with an away-goal tiebreaker. It won’t be easy, but with Messi in this kind of form, anything’s possible.
This match was a reminder that football isn’t just about skill—it’s about heart, belief, and those rare players who can carry a team through the fire. Messi’s still doing that. Still writing history. And Inter Miami? They’re just getting started.
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