Lionel Messi Scores His Eighth Goal In Five Leagues Cup Games As Inter Miami Thrash Charlotte FC To Qualify For Semi-Finals

Inter Miami's revolution under new captain Lionel Messi continued on Friday night with a 4-0 win over Charlotte FC in the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup.

Inter Miami's revolution under new captain Lionel Messi continued on Friday night with a 4-0 win over Charlotte FC.

After going 11 games in a row without a victory before Messi's debut, Miami have now won five matches straight - including one via a penalty shootout - since introducing the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Messi has scored in all five of those games too.

He wrapped up Friday's win late on after earlier strikes from Josef Martinez, Robert Taylor and an Adilson Malanda own goal.

Friday's win saw Miami qualify for the Leagues Cup semi-finals.

Messi and Co will now travel to Philadelphia Union on Tuesday, with the winner of that match then taking on either Monterrey or Nashville SC in the final on Saturday.

Highlights: Inter Miami 4-0 Charlotte FC

Miami took the lead in the 12th minute from a penalty kick converted by Martinez.

Taylor then continued his recent hot streak in front of goal by making it 2-0 just after the half-hour mark following an assist by DeAndre Yedlin.

Charlotte started the second half strongly and threatened to score multiple times before Miami put the result beyond doubt at the other end on 78 minutes.

Messi unlocked the Charlotte defense with a through pass to Diego Gomez, whose low cross was diverted into his own net by Charlotte center-back Malanda.

As the game neared full-time it looked like this could be Messi's first Miami appearance without getting on the scoresheet. But he then found the net from a Leonardo Campana cross in the 87th minute to take his tally of Leagues Cup goals to eight in five games.

Lionel Messi pictured (center) in action for Inter Miami against Charlotte FC during the quarter-finals of the 2023 Leagues Cup :: IMAGO/Michele Eve Sandberg/Icon Sportswire