Lionel Messi and Inter Miami WIN the Leagues Cup on penalties after the World Cup winner’s sensational first-half strike was canceled out by an own goal

A team needs the brilliance of its star player sometimes, and the grit, tenacity, and steel that forges true team spirit at other times. Inter Miami needed every bit of a brilliant moment from Lionel Messi to overcome Nashville and win the Leagues Cup.

Drake Callendar, Miami’s goalkeeper, was the team’s unsung hero. After saving a penalty kιck from his opponent, Elliot Panicco, he scored an own goal (not that he knew anything about it) and then converted the penalty that proved to be the game-winner.

Messi broke away from the huddle with his Miami Dolphins teammates on the half-field line as Panicco lined up to take his penalty with a sold-out Geodis Park holding its breath. As he prepared to take his second penalty of the shootout, he took a deep breath and glanced to the sky.

After Callendar dove to his left and blocked Panicco’s shot, Messi used every last bit of breath he had left to sprint towards the goalkeeper who had just helped him win Miami’s first ever trophy and the 44th of his incredible career.

Miami had several rough stretches in this game. Before Messi scored an amazing goal in the 23rd minute, they were under significant pressure from Nashville and clearly in second place.

The USMNT captain and international player Walker Zimmerman was embarrassed by Messi, but it easily might have been Sergio Ramos. When Messi’s eyes light up and that magnificent instinct takes over, the game still has no answer for the 36-year-old.

Following a Miami аttаck along the left flank, Robert Taylor attempted to pass to Messi, but his attempt was deflected. His first touch was terrible, and the ball almost slid out of his hands. This made the rest of his amazing move—skipping and stretching around Zimmerman before whipping the ball between two charging defenders and into the top corner—all the more remarkable. 

A squad that had gone winless in 11 games was able to win the Leagues Cup thanks to his tenth goal in seven games for Miami.

In Miami, fans want their favorite stars to display a certain degree of extravagance. In his first month with the Miami Dolphins, Messi has provided that in spades. A special mention must be made of Sergio Busquets’s toughness for this revamped Miami squad, especially in the opening quarter. Nashville came out firing.

Despite Messi’s save, Zimmerman had the better chance to score. Drake Callendar made a great stop on a header from the United States defender in the 13th minute, as Nashville grew in confidence and Miami continued to look shaky defensively. 

But the Zimmerman opportunity appeared to be just the thing to jolt Miami into action. 

Taylor, the attacker who has been expected to take the reins alongside Messi and lead this new age in Miami, darted in from the right and fired a powerful strike toward the far corner, which Elliot Panicco had to save. A few time later, Messi gave him a demonstration. 

The equalizer scored by Nashville was the polar opposite of Messi’s stunning goal, but no one could have seen it coming. In the 57th minute, Fafa Picault’s header off a corner was deflected by Benjamin Cremaschi into the net and beyond goalkeeper Callendar after Miami failed to clear the ball. 

And Miami’s next two biggest stars were largely responsible for the city’s renewed unease. A Messi run was badly misread by Jordi Alba, who passed the ball out of play, and then Busquets overhit a routine pass back to his left back, sending the ball out of play for a throw-in. The crowd in Nashville reacted, sensing an upset was possible. It appeared to be go time. 

A warning shot was then fired. Messi scooped up the ball on the right flank, cut inside, and smacked a low drive off the right upright. 

On the 77th minute, Nashville’s new striker Sam Surridge should have put the team ahead after Major League Soccer’s MVP Hany Mukhtar broke free of his defender for the first time all night. Callendar made a spectacular stop down low, and when the ball landed at Mukhtar’s feet, recovering Miami defender Sergii Kryvstov bundled it wide. It would prove to be a turning point.

Both teams had a chance to win with three minutes remaining. Surridge sent a header on goal, but Callendar saved it, and then Busquets pushed a long pass into the path of replacement striker Leonardo Campana, who was tasked with winning the cup final on his shoulders as he raced through on goal.

He attempted a brilliant chip over Panicco, but the goalie was able to get a hand on the ball. Campano dove for the loose ball as it spun wide and made a last-ditch effort to redirect it in goal, but he missed the mark. 

The game was decided by penalties after the ball went out of play. Messi, Busquets, and Alba all scored, and Callendar finished the job.

In 2020, when both of these clubs joined MLS, they were looking for their first championship. There was also state pride at stake for Nashville. The Titans, Predators, and Grizzlies of Tennessee are still waiting for their respective championships, but they could have been the first team in the state’s rich history to bring home a championship.

At $460 for a seat in Row Z, it’s easy to see why Geodis Park, which has a modest sellout capacity of 30,109, was nearly full more than an hour before start. In the pregame, David Beckham emerged onto the field to take pictures with Victoria and the Mas brothers, his Miami co-owners, and to wave to a small group of noisy Miami fans perched high above the tunnel. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, of the Milwaukee Bucks and a co-owner of the Nashville Predators, had a penalty shootout with his brother as if the field were their backyard. They were just around 20 feet from Beckham. Another Nashville co-owner, Reese Witherspoon, brought the game ball out onto the field for kickoff while beaming for the cameras.

When Messi and his Miami squad came out for pregame warmups, they were met with thunderous booing. 

It’s true that not everywhere recognizes a star, but in Nashville, they do. On Saturday night, the city that gave the world Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, and Dolly Parton offered the stage to another artist, one whose greatness is still being discovered across the United States.

Even after the final whistle, many of supporters remained in their seats to catch a sight of Messi, Beckham, and Beckham’s wife, Antonela Riccuzzo. On Wednesday, they’ll face Cincinnati one more in the US Open semifinals. 

Until the end of the season, Messi and the Beckhams are likely to have more reasons to celebrate.

A team needs the brilliance of its star player sometimes, and the grit, tenacity, and steel that forges true team spirit at other times. Inter Miami needed every bit of a brilliant moment from Lionel Messi to overcome Nashville and win the Leagues Cup.

Drake Callendar, Miami’s goalkeeper, was the team’s unsung hero. After saving a penalty kιck from his opponent, Elliot Panicco, he scored an own goal (not that he knew anything about it) and then converted the penalty that proved to be the game-winner.

Messi broke away from the huddle with his Miami Dolphins teammates on the half-field line as Panicco lined up to take his penalty with a sold-out Geodis Park holding its breath. As he prepared to take his second penalty of the shootout, he took a deep breath and glanced to the sky.

After Callendar dove to his left and blocked Panicco’s shot, Messi used every last bit of breath he had left to sprint towards the goalkeeper who had just helped him win Miami’s first ever trophy and the 44th of his incredible career.

Miami had several rough stretches in this game. Before Messi scored an amazing goal in the 23rd minute, they were under significant pressure from Nashville and clearly in second place.

The USMNT captain and international player Walker Zimmerman was embarrassed by Messi, but it easily might have been Sergio Ramos. When Messi’s eyes light up and that magnificent instinct takes over, the game still has no answer for the 36-year-old.

Following a Miami аttаck along the left flank, Robert Taylor attempted to pass to Messi, but his attempt was deflected. His first touch was terrible, and the ball almost slid out of his hands. This made the rest of his amazing move—skipping and stretching around Zimmerman before whipping the ball between two charging defenders and into the top corner—all the more remarkable. 

A squad that had gone winless in 11 games was able to win the Leagues Cup thanks to his tenth goal in seven games for Miami.

In Miami, fans want their favorite stars to display a certain degree of extravagance. In his first month with the Miami Dolphins, Messi has provided that in spades. A special mention must be made of Sergio Busquets’s toughness for this revamped Miami squad, especially in the opening quarter. Nashville came out firing.

Despite Messi’s save, Zimmerman had the better chance to score. Drake Callendar made a great stop on a header from the United States defender in the 13th minute, as Nashville grew in confidence and Miami continued to look shaky defensively. 

But the Zimmerman opportunity appeared to be just the thing to jolt Miami into action. 

Taylor, the attacker who has been expected to take the reins alongside Messi and lead this new age in Miami, darted in from the right and fired a powerful strike toward the far corner, which Elliot Panicco had to save. A few time later, Messi gave him a demonstration. 

The equalizer scored by Nashville was the polar opposite of Messi’s stunning goal, but no one could have seen it coming. In the 57th minute, Fafa Picault’s header off a corner was deflected by Benjamin Cremaschi into the net and beyond goalkeeper Callendar after Miami failed to clear the ball. 

And Miami’s next two biggest stars were largely responsible for the city’s renewed unease. A Messi run was badly misread by Jordi Alba, who passed the ball out of play, and then Busquets overhit a routine pass back to his left back, sending the ball out of play for a throw-in. The crowd in Nashville reacted, sensing an upset was possible. It appeared to be go time. 

A warning shot was then fired. Messi scooped up the ball on the right flank, cut inside, and smacked a low drive off the right upright. 

On the 77th minute, Nashville’s new striker Sam Surridge should have put the team ahead after Major League Soccer’s MVP Hany Mukhtar broke free of his defender for the first time all night. Callendar made a spectacular stop down low, and when the ball landed at Mukhtar’s feet, recovering Miami defender Sergii Kryvstov bundled it wide. It would prove to be a turning point.

Both teams had a chance to win with three minutes remaining. Surridge sent a header on goal, but Callendar saved it, and then Busquets pushed a long pass into the path of replacement striker Leonardo Campana, who was tasked with winning the cup final on his shoulders as he raced through on goal.

He attempted a brilliant chip over Panicco, but the goalie was able to get a hand on the ball. Campano dove for the loose ball as it spun wide and made a last-ditch effort to redirect it in goal, but he missed the mark. 

The game was decided by penalties after the ball went out of play. Messi, Busquets, and Alba all scored, and Callendar finished the job.

In 2020, when both of these clubs joined MLS, they were looking for their first championship. There was also state pride at stake for Nashville. The Titans, Predators, and Grizzlies of Tennessee are still waiting for their respective championships, but they could have been the first team in the state’s rich history to bring home a championship.

At $460 for a seat in Row Z, it’s easy to see why Geodis Park, which has a modest sellout capacity of 30,109, was nearly full more than an hour before start. In the pregame, David Beckham emerged onto the field to take pictures with Victoria and the Mas brothers, his Miami co-owners, and to wave to a small group of noisy Miami fans perched high above the tunnel. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, of the Milwaukee Bucks and a co-owner of the Nashville Predators, had a penalty shootout with his brother as if the field were their backyard. They were just around 20 feet from Beckham. Another Nashville co-owner, Reese Witherspoon, brought the game ball out onto the field for kickoff while beaming for the cameras.

When Messi and his Miami squad came out for pregame warmups, they were met with thunderous booing. 

It’s true that not everywhere recognizes a star, but in Nashville, they do. On Saturday night, the city that gave the world Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, and Dolly Parton offered the stage to another artist, one whose greatness is still being discovered across the United States.

Even after the final whistle, many of supporters remained in their seats to catch a sight of Messi, Beckham, and Beckham’s wife, Antonela Riccuzzo. On Wednesday, they’ll face Cincinnati one more in the US Open semifinals. 

Until the end of the season, Messi and the Beckhams are likely to have more reasons to celebrate.