Celebrities from around the world took to the soccer field to watch Lionel Messi (Inter Miami). In front of them, Messi scored a stunning two assists to lead Miami to victory.
Miami defeated LA FC 3-1 in the 25th round of the 2023 Major League Soccer (MLS) First Round at Bank of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, on Thursday.
Miami, ranked just 14th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference, swept aside third-ranked and defending champion Los Angeles, and did so with a much different offense, scoring three goals on the road.
At the center of it all is Messi. Messi, whose streak of consecutive offensive points since his MLS debut was halted at nine games in a 0-0 draw with Nashville SC in the previous round, picked up two exquisite assists on the day and began to lead Miami’s scoring again.
Before Messi warmed up, it was Facundo Farias who provided the spark for Miami. Spearheading the attack alongside Messi, Farias opened the scoring just 14 minutes into the match with a right-footed shot that found the corner of the net.
Messi followed suit. His dribbling runs, which still eluded one or two opposing defenders, rattled LA. In the 38th minute, he had a great chance to score when he found himself one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper. However, he was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
In the second half, LA’s pressure on Messi continued. Sensing that the defense was closing in on him, Messi decided to save his teammate’s life and provided a great assist at the start of the second half. He sent a kill pass to Jordi Alba, who was getting into the back of the defense, to set up the defender’s goal.
Messi also helped drive a wedge. In the 38th minute of the second half, after beating the opposition defense with a simple dribble, Messi didn’t get greedy and passed to a better positioned Leandro Campagna for a crucial assist to make it 3-0.
Messi’s two assists put Miami in a 3-0 corner over LA. LA scored a late Ryan Hollingshead goal to avoid defeat, but it was too much to overcome. With the win, Miami improved to 2-1-1 in MLS and unbeaten in three games, giving them the momentum to climb out of the bottom half of the table.
The fans who packed the stadium went wild for Messi’s magic. There were plenty of big names in the crowd, too. According to a list of VIPs released by the official MLS website, Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Edward Norton, Selena Gomez, Mario Lopez, Owen Wilson, Taiga, Solo Mariduna, and Britain’s Prince Harry were among those who came to see Messi.
The soccer god is sweeping the United States with soccer fever, with superstars clamoring for a glimpse of Messi. Since joining Miami in late July, Messi has helped the club win the North American League Cup. He was a one-man show, scoring 10 goals in the tournament alone, leading Miami from last place to its first championship. Messi was also named top scorer and most valuable player (MVP). 소닉카지노
A second title is on the horizon. In the US Open Cup, the FA Cup equivalent of the League Cup, he led Miami to the final. In the quarterfinals against FC Cincinnati, he scored two brilliant assists to send the game to penalty kicks. They will play the Houston Dynamo for the trophy on May 27.
Now that she’s made her mark in cup competitions, Messi is looking to help Miami break through in MLS. After coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring a goal in her league debut with the New York Red Bulls, Messi faltered in Nashville last week, but her two assists on the day turned Miami’s fortunes around.
Thanks to Messi, who has 11 goals and five assists in pink, Miami is on a scorching run, unbeaten in 11 official matches.