Lionel Messi made his highly-anticipated Inter Miami debut on Friday night at DRV PNK Stadium and in true Messi fashion, the Argentine legend did not disappoint for his new club.
Messi came off the bench and scored a 94th minute free-kick winner to hand Tata Martino’s squad a 2-1 Leagues Cup victory over Liga MX opponents Cruz Azul. It was a crucial win for the Herons, who snapped a six-match winless streak across all competitions.
Robert Taylor delivered the opening goal for Inter Miami in the 44th minute after the Finnish midfielder drilled home Robbie Robinson’s pass into the bottom-right corner.
However, the Herons lead only lasted 21 minutes as Cruz Azul equalized in the 65th minute through Uriel Antuna’s tying goal. Antuna’s top-shelf finish made it 1-1 in Fort Lauderdale and forced Inter Miami to roll the dice in order to claim three points.
Carlos Salcedo fouled Messi outside of the Cruz Azul box in the 93rd minute and watched as the 36-year-old played the hero for the Herons. Messi’s left-footed curler nestled into the top-left corner, giving Inter Miami a 2-1 win and its first in Leagues Cup play.
It marked the first time in Messi’s career that he scored on his club debut.
Sergio Busquets also made his Herons debut on Friday, logging 36 minutes off the bench alongside his former Barcelona teammate Messi.
The Herons will next face off with Atlanta United in Leagues Cup play on July 25.
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