Lionel Messi made his highly-anticipated Inter Miami debut on Friday night at DRV PNK Stadium and in true Messi fashion, the Argentine legend did not disappoint for his new club.
Messi came off the bench and scored a 94th minute free-kick winner to hand Tata Martino’s squad a 2-1 Leagues Cup victory over Liga MX opponents Cruz Azul. It was a crucial win for the Herons, who snapped a six-match winless streak across all competitions.
Robert Taylor delivered the opening goal for Inter Miami in the 44th minute after the Finnish midfielder drilled home Robbie Robinson’s pass into the bottom-right corner.
However, the Herons lead only lasted 21 minutes as Cruz Azul equalized in the 65th minute through Uriel Antuna’s tying goal. Antuna’s top-shelf finish made it 1-1 in Fort Lauderdale and forced Inter Miami to roll the dice in order to claim three points.
Carlos Salcedo fouled Messi outside of the Cruz Azul box in the 93rd minute and watched as the 36-year-old played the hero for the Herons. Messi’s left-footed curler nestled into the top-left corner, giving Inter Miami a 2-1 win and its first in Leagues Cup play.
It marked the first time in Messi’s career that he scored on his club debut.
Sergio Busquets also made his Herons debut on Friday, logging 36 minutes off the bench alongside his former Barcelona teammate Messi.
The Herons will next face off with Atlanta United in Leagues Cup play on July 25.
Greatness can’t be denied. Reminds me of when Ibra entered his first game for the Galaxy, at about the same point in the game. It was his first or second touch of the game and he hit a screamer that scored from about 40 yards out.
Well, considering I had only bent to the Apple Overlords and gotten MLS Season Pass like, ten minutes before kickoff, I gotta say, that wasn’t a bad first game.
Whoo doggy Miami’s a bad team, though. Martinez can still play. Yedlin can sort of play. Callender’s in Europe the second anyone notices him. That Finnish guy Robert Taylor – which does not sound at all like a Finnish name, by the way – can play.
Other than that…yeesh. That looked like an MLS 1.0 team out there the first half. Messi’s likely going to need a few more of his old Barca Bros to really turn that ship around.
Never got to see Pele, but I get to watch Messi in MLS….. what a time to be a fan.
Wow- what do you say? When you’ve got it… you’ve got it. All the time off, the build up, the massive expectations. Coldly steps up and delivers that in the waning seconds.
Pinch me…Messi is playing on an MLS team. I must be dreaming…
This was sick to watch. And well timed to be at halftime of the US game.
Last minute free kick game winner gotta love it. Messi was completely dominant.