Lionel Messi got on the scoresheet yet again as Inter Miami coasted into the Leagues Cup semi-finals – but the impact he’s having on this team is more than just about scoring goals.
David Beckham ‘s side secured a 4-0 win over Charlotte in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals and look increasingly like they’re going to win the whole thing. Bear in mind this is a team that had only two wins in 14 games prior to the World Cup winner’s arrival.
Following on from Messi’s seven goals in four games, including three consecutive braces and a couple of outstanding free-kicks, the mood has entirely shifted in Miami. So much so that despite Messi having a rather quiet game until the goal, Miami is in now such a positive place it feels as if they merely need his presence to win.
The Charlotte defence were so pre-occupied with the Argentine they neglected their duties elsewhere. This was evident none more so than when Josef Martinez was brought down in the box by a Charlotte defender caught off guard.
And just like he did last time, captain Messi let Martinez step up and convert the penalty. The Venezuelan has struggled for goals since joining the team from Atlanta United this season and Messi’s double act is slowly helping his numbers look healthier. Successfully converting from the spot, he now has now seven goals in 28 appearances.
Miami doubled the lead just after the half hour mark with Robert Taylor sweeping the ball across the line after some fine play from DeAndre Yedlin. Charlotte did have their chances to get back into the game but the final nail in the coffin came when Adilson Malanda put the ball in his own net.
While Messi will have no statistical association with this goal, he played a crucial part. Driving the ball forward, he carefully timed his pass out wide to the overlapping runner. The cross that came in hit a desperate Malanda attempting to stop a potential goal, only for the defender to score one of his own.
Messi then put the cherry on the cake for Inter Miami by scoring his eighth goal in five games. He is now the all-time top goalscorer in the Leagues Cup, which is now in its second season. He also only 21 goals behind countryman Gonzalo Higuain, Miami’s record goalscorer.
Speaking after the victory, fellow summer recruit Sergio Busquets opened up on playing with his former Barcelona team-mate again: “We played with each other for a very long time together, but it’s beautiful to play together again and we understand each other very well on the field.”
On the victory he added: “We had a great start, an advantage of two goals. We relaxed a little bit once we had that advantage. The game became a little bit more back-and-forth but we came strong in the second half and extended that lead.”
