Lionel Messi extended his remarkable goal-scoring streak as Inter Miami powered into the final of the Leagues Cup with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Philadelphia Union on Tuesday.
The Argentina superstar took his tally to nine goals in six
appearances for Miami in an entertaining semi-final at Philadelphia’s Subaru
Park.
Venezuelan international Josef Martinez, Messi’s former
Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba, and substitute David Ruiz scored Miami’s other
goals, with Alejandro Bedoya the lone scorer for outgunned Philadelphia.
The result leaves Messi preparing for the 42nd final of his
career with Miami facing Nashville SC in Saturday’s final of the World
Cup-style tournament for teams from Mexico and Major League Soccer.
Nashville booked their place in the final later Tuesday with
a 2-0 win over Mexican side Monterrey and will host the final this weekend.
Miami meanwhile were left basking in a victory which also
sees them qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup regional tournament next
season — potentially opening up a route into FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup in
2025.
“Our goal was to qualify for international competition next
season and we’ve done that tonight,” said Miami head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’
Martino.
“This most important thing was achieving qualification for
Concacaf Champions Cup, and now we have to prepare to win this tournament,
which has us feeling very motivated and confident.”
Miami’s semi-final in Philadelphia was in theory supposed to
be the toughest assignment yet faced by Messi since he made his debut for Miami
on July 21 after joining from Paris Saint-Germain.
Philadelphia are one of the strongest teams in MLS, and are
third in the Eastern Conference standings while Miami are bottom of the table.
Early Strike
The Union have also been practically invincible at home,
losing only once in their previous 38 games at Subaru Park.
But the home side were left in disarray just three minutes
after kick-off as Miami took the lead.
A long ball forward from Ukrainian defender Sergii Kryvtsov
sowed panic in the Union back line, and Martinez latched onto the pass before
rifling a shot past diving Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake.
Philadelphia should have equalised five minutes later when
Hungary international Daniel Gazdag went through on goal only to shoot straight
at Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.
Gazdag had another good chance after 19 minutes, but saw his
curling shot from the edge of the area fly just wide.
If that chance encouraged Philadelphia, the optimism was
short-lived as Messi struck once again to punish slack Union defending.
Damion Lowe was caught napping and Martinez spun away from
the defender to release Messi, who was given far too much time and space to
direct a fierce low strike from outside the area into the bottom corner past
Blake.
Philadelphia responded with sustained pressure, and Gazdag
tested Callender from long range once more with a rasping shot on 29 minutes.
Although Union enjoyed plenty of territory and possession,
it was Miami who struck the decisive blow on half-time.
Finland international Robert Taylor held the ball up well in
midfield and took his time before picking out the overlapping Jordi Alba.
The former Barcelona star controlled and buried a clinical
finish to leave Miami 3-0 up at the break.
Philadelphia coach Jim Curtin threw caution to the wind in
the second half, tweaking his formation to add an extra attacker.
But Union squandered two good openings when Chris Donovan
rounded Callender on 55 minutes but then shot over the bar.
Jakob Glesnes also wasted a gilt-edged opportunity from
close range, hooking over the bar on 66 minutes.
Bedoya gave Philadelphia hope in the 73rd minute when he
swept in from a chaotic corner, but Miami snuffed out any chance of a fightback
when Ruiz restored the visitors’ three-goal advantage six minutes from time.
AFP