In his first road game since moving to the United States, Messi opened the scoring after only six minutes before Dallas turned the game on its head.
Heading into the final 10 minutes, Inter Miami trailed 4-2. But on an evening where temperatures topped 100°F, Messi turned up the heat with a cross that Dallas’s Marco Farfan headed into his own goal.
Then, with five minutes to play, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner sent another free-kick into the top corner to tie the game. That sent the match to penalties.
Messi scored Miami’s first spot kick before Paxton Pomykal missed for Dallas, allowing the visitors to win 5-3. The match saw four lead changes, three goals off free kicks, and two own goals in one of the most exciting matches in American soccer this season.
Lionel Messi showed he’s got plenty of magic left in a thrilling game Miami won on penalties
On a hot evening in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, the players turned up the heat on the pitch
After Messi opened the scoring, Facundo Quignon (5) and Bernard Kamungo (77) each scored goals in minutes 37 and 45 to take a 2-1 lead going into the halftime break
TRENDING
Messi continues to shock Inter Miami teammates: ‘Nobody expected this
FC Dallas owner: ‘Seeing Lionel Messi is like watching Michael Jordan’
It took just six minutes for an old connection to re-establish itself once again – when Jordi Alba, who made his first start for Miami on this night, cut the ball back for Messi to lash at to open the scoring.
That Messi goal came just two minutes after Dallas had their supposed first goal of the night called offside due to Jesus Ferreira being in an advanced position.
But Dallas kept probing for weak spots, with Facundo Quignon – an Argentine who, like Messi, also spent some of his playing days for Newell’s Old Boys – taking a one-time shot past a diving Miami keeper to make the game even at 1-1.
The Hoops took a lead just on the doorstep of halftime with a great team effort starting with a buildup from a deflection in front of their own goal.
Alan Velasco – who starred for Dallas on Sunday – found Ferreira in stride. In turn, the American striker cut back and laid the ball off for Bernard Kamungo. The Tanzanian forward danced around the Miami defense and slipped it home to take a 2-1 lead going into the break.
Coming out of the half, both teams looked to find an early goal inside of the first five minutes with close chances.
Dallas will surely feel the sting of not one, but two missed free headers from Kamungo, then Ferreira.
Ferreira may especially be kicking himself after also being played through one-on-one against Miami keeper Drake Callender. But the striker took too long, allowing Inter’s Kamal Miller to race back and pick the American’s pocket with ease.
Alan Velasco (20) extended Dallas’s lead 3-1 before Miami came crawling back slowly
After Miami gave up an own goal, Messi’s free kick caused a Dallas own goal to cut it to 4-3
Then, with a sublime effort like from his days at Barcelona, a Messi free kick made it a 4-4 game
Dallas would find some redemption in the 63rd minute, when a fantastic Velasco free kick went straight through everyone in the wall to find a home in the net.
Benjamin Cremaschi – the 18-year-old Argentinian-American born and raised in Miami – scored within two minutes of being substituted on to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Then, Miami surrendered the first of two own-goals scored on the night when Robert Taylor raced back to stop an attacking buildup within his own box – only to slide in and connect with the ball, booting it straight into his own net to go down 4-2.
Inter Miami manager Tata Martino made a critical switch – taking off the struggling striker Josef Martinez and bringing Leonardo Campana off the bench.
While not present on the scoresheet, Campana’s presence signified a massive change in Miami’s mindset and momentum.
And that’s what led to the own goal in the 81st minute. Right on the edge of the box, Messi curled a ball that flashed across the face of the net.
Dallas fullback Marco Farfan, in what may only be described as a rush of hot blood, delivered an absolutely sublime header… right into the back of his own net. But at 4-3, Dallas still led the match.
Not even three minutes later, Messi had yet another free kick from about 20 yards out.
In penalties, the only error of the night was committed by FC Dallas’s Paxton Pomykal (above)
The 18-year-old Benjamin Cremaschi – who scored earlier – sealed the penalty shootout victory
Messi and company raced over to join the youngster in celebration as their journey continues
He hit the ball with the speed, confidence, and accuracy of a man who has done this before. Many, many times before. It sailed into the corner – a hit no keeper could ever save outside the deepest of REM sleep. 4-4. Off we went to penalties.
Messi and Sergio Busquets buried their chances, as did Paul Arriola of FC Dallas.
But when Dallas’s second kick taker – youngster Paxton Pomykal – skied his shot over the bar, that essentially signified the end.
The final blow was delivered by that 18-year-old Miami product Cremaschi, who wheeled off in celebration as Messi, Busquets, Alba, and the rest of Inter Miami raced after him to join in the achievement as this fairy tale continues to unfold.
