Messi The Magician Makes The Ball Disappear Into The Net For Miami’s Win

After watching Lionel Messi connect for the winning goal against his team, Porto head coach Martin Anselmi was just about at loss for words.

“What can I say about Messi?” he said. “I’m not going to say anything that’s new. You know what he’s capable of on the pitch.”

As the fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and the rest of the world witnessed (via TV or streaming) at the FIFA Club World Cup match on Thursday.

With the score tied at 1-1 at 54th minute, Messi drilled a brilliant 23-yard free kick for what turned into Inter Miami CF’s winning goal in a 2-1 Group D victory.

After playing Al Ahly to a scoreless draw in its first match, it was a much-needed goal and win as the Major League Soccer side kept its hopes alive of reaching the Round of 16.

Inter Miami CF (1-0-1, 4 points) is in second place in its group, behind Palmeiras, which has a similar record but a superior goal differential (plus 2 to plus 1). Porto (0-1-1, minus 1) is third, Al Ahly (0-1-1, minus 2) is fourth. The top two teams will reach the knockout round.

Unfortunately, Messi, named man of the match, did not make himself available to the media afterwards. At Club World Cup post-game press conferences, FIFA officials bring in the man of the match for a photo and answer a few questions.

Messi, the marvelous

Well, we can say that he let his feet do the talking and left it up to head coach Javier Mascherano to marvel about the 37-year-old superstar.

“His hunger, his resilience, his will to go on competing, at whatever level that may be,” he added. “In football terms, what else can I add? He’s the best player ever to play this sport. But his determination to win is always surprising.

“And in football terms, what else can you add? Even today, in the last few minutes, when they were tired, he continued to support the team any way he could in attack and defense to achieve the results. We know that having him gives us an advantage.”

What makes Messi so lethal is that while the opposition can shut him during the run of play, when it comes down to set pieces such as free kicks, corner kicks or penalty kicks, it can be difficult to deny him.

Let’s go to the 54th minute to understand why.

The game was tied at 1-1. Porto drew first blood on Samu Aghehowa’s eighth-minute penalty kick in the eighth minute, before Telasco Segovia’s equalizer two minutes into the second half.

After Messi made a nice run down the middle of the pitch, Porto midfielder Rodrigo Mora fouled the World Cup champion about a yard outside the penalty arc. On DAZN streaming, announcer Andres Cantor said, “This will be Leo Messi’s time.”

The Atlanta crowd certainly had an inkling as it chanted, “Messi! Messi! Messi!”

The superstar then exacted the perfect kind of revenge on Porto and Mora, firing a left-footed line drive over the defensive wall and into the top right corner past goalkeeper Claudio Ramos for a 2-1 advantage.

It also was Messi’s 68th free-kick goal of his illustrious career.

A historic win

Inter Miami managed to hold off the Portuguese side and became the first Concacaf team to defeat a European side in a FIFA club tournament.

“Today is a historic day for the club,” Mascherano said. “It means we are still alive in the competition.”

It seems that no press conference that zeroes in on Messi cannot be without a question comparing two of the best players of the past two decades – Portugal international striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who is competing in this tournament, and Messi.

Messi vs. Ronaldo

“Well, you spoke about two great players that have led to a great extent the last two decades in football, and my personal opinion is that Leo is the best player to have ever played this sport,” said Mascherano, who also played with Messi on the Argentine national team years ago. “I hold no doubt about that. Of course, I’m not trying to undervalue Cristiano. He’s an extraordinary player that continues to compete at the highest levels.

“Obviously, those of us who have been on the field of play and know how difficult it is to play at a certain age and at this level, like was the case of today’s match, [with] Leo, we need to admire that. We need to admire their level, their competitiveness, and everything that they have done, everything that they have achieved.”

While the win felt good, Mascherano realized that Inter Miami CF hadn’t achieved anything yet, although the Herons’ fate is in their own hands, or should we say their feet. The team needs to defeat Palmeiras (Brazil) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Monday.

Of course, that’s easier said than done.

But when you have an extraordinary player such as Lionel Messi on your side, whatever is difficult can become possible.