Inter Miami achieved an unexpected 2-1 win against Porto in the Club World Cup thanks to Lionel Messi’s classic free-kick on Thursday. Now, both Inter Miami and Palmeiras sit with four points each in Group A, after the Brazilian side’s 2-0 victory over Al Ahly.
Both Porto and Al Ahly are still sitting on one point. Porto got ahead early thanks to Samu Aghehowa’s penalty in a first half where they were in control.
Telasco Segovia brought Miami level before Messi’s free-kick confirmed a remarkable victory in what many thought would be a straightforward game for
Porto, making Miami the first MLS team
to achieve a win against European
opponents in an official tournament. Inter
Miami, which has David Beckham as a partial owner, started their MLS adventure in 2020 and boosted their profile by bringing Messi on board in 2023.
Messi displayed his talent right from the start, creating an early opportunity for Luis Suarez. Porto took the lead in the eighth minute after VAR granted a penalty due to Noah Allen’s minor contact with Joao Mario. Suarez failed to level the score after getting Messi’s pass, with goalkeeper Claudio Ramos making the stop. Benjamin Cremaschi almost found the net for Miami
after Suarez’s advance, but Ramos prevented him from scoring at the near post.
Maximiliano Falcon pulled off a key goal-line clearance to keep Miami in the match. Ustari made some vital saves before halftime, stopping Aghehowa and also preventing a goal after Alan Varela’s shot hit the post.
Segovia leveled the score early in the second half, finishing off Marcelo Weigandt’s assist.
In the 54th minute, Messi gave Miami the lead with a perfectly executed free-kick that found the top corner after he was fouled just outside the box.
This win was the first occasion when an MLS team took down a European side in competitive action, right after Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC earlier that week.
“It’s such a great feeling, the entire team put in a lot of hard work, we collaborated really well. This win means a lot to us and we need to savor it. You can tell that we’re eager to compete, and today we really went up against a strong European team. We understood that we were at a disadvantage today, but we also had our strengths”, Messi shared with DAZN.
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium was under half-full at the start because of the 3:00 pm kickoff on a weekday, just like Chelsea’s first match. Attendance picked up as the game went on, with fans coming in to see the 37-year-old Messi, and by the end, there were almost 32,000 people in the stands.
“Messi is a true leader; he’s the player he is because he’s the best in the world. I just knew that free-kick was going to score. It was an amazing goal, a fantastic display of leadership, especially in such a crucial moment for us”, said Inter Miami forward Fafa Picault in an interview with DAZN.
The atmosphere in the stadium grew tense when they announced seven minutes of stoppage time. The Miami players put in an incredible defensive effort, blocking several shots to clinch their important win.
- YouTube Relaunches Private Chats With Age Verification
- The Future Of Air Travel: Why The 100ml Liquid Limit May Soon Disappear
- Rising Temperatures, Rising Tempers? The Surprising Link Between Heat And Aggression
- India’s Lost Dragonfly Returns After 110 Years
- Snapchat Introduces Safer Story Sharing For Under-16 Users
- Google Launches Gemini 3.5 Live Translate
- The New Dating Trend Everyone’s Talking About: Puffer-Fishing
- Tea, Coffee, Juice: The Worst Empty Stomach Mistakes
- Instagram Introduces Profile Grid Customization
- Skywatchers Alert: Jupiter And Venus Set For A Rare Close Encounter Tonight
- Chrome Just Downloaded a 4GB AI Model? Here’s How to Delete It
- Why Does Real Love Feel Different Than We Expect?
- The 30-Minute Parenting Secret Every Child Needs
- Remote Robotics: Control Robotic Arms From Your Smartphone
- Mumbai’s Pod Taxis: Will BKC Benefit?
- Beyond The Missing Period: Understanding MRKH Syndrome
- Why Calling Every Stomach Problem ‘Gas’ Can Be Risky?
- Poke: Apple’s First AI Agent Debuts
- AC Drying Out Your Skin? Try This Simple Fix
- Want More Fireflies? Transform Your Garden Today
- Spotify Launches Podcast Clips For Instant Highlight Saving
Leave a Reply