Argentine superstar Lionel Messi scored a spectacular free-kick in the first-half extra-time (45+5) during Inter Miami's stunning 3-2 win over Columbus Crew on Wednesday, October 2. The win saw Messi lift his 46th career trophy as the Herons won the Supporters' Shield. (More Football News)
Messi scored in the first-half stoppage-time after the two teams were deadlocked. The former Barcelona and PSG star doubledꦍ his side's lead with a stunning free-kick, as the home 🧸crowd including Columbus goalie Patrick Schulte were left to gaze on the artistry of the Argentine.
Here's the video of Messi's second goal -
Luis Suarez also scored for Inter Miami, which ꦜwill open a best-of-three first-round playoff series in the final weekend of October.
If the team wins that s🐠eries, it would have the right to host every match it plays the rest of the season — an Eastern Conference semifinal (scheduled for Nov. 23 or 24), the East final (Nov. 30 or Dec. 1) and the MLS Cup final on Dec. 7.
Diego Rossi scored in the first minute of the second half for Columbus to cut the lead in half, but it didn’t take long for Inter Miami to restore the two-goal cushion.
Almost immediately after play resumed, Schulte was upended by one of his own defenders and Su൲arez sent a header into an empℱty net for a 3-1 edge.
Juan “Cucho” Hernández’s ꦍpenalty kick in the 61st minute got Columbus wi🐲thin 3-2. But once again, the momentum didn’t last for long.
Rudy Camacho was sent off for his second yellow card in the 63rd minute, meaning the Crꦫew h🦄ad to play with 10 men the rest of the way.
“We have a nice opportunity to go down in history ... and now we think about what is coming,” Messi told Apple TV after the match. “🌺We have a great advantage in that we play all the games at home, which was what we were looking for. I think that we are very, very strong at home.”
“Throughout the year we had many, ✤many inj♛uries, where we couldn’t all be together ... but the group was getting the most out of every tough game,” Messi added.
(With AP inputs)
