Inter Miami Captain Lionel Messi Scores Two Goals In Amazing 4-4 Draw At FC Dallas Before Netting Again In Penalty Shootout Win
Lionel Messi's first away game with Inter Miami proved to be quite the event.
Tickets for Sunday's Leagues Cup round of 32 match against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium had sold out in just 22 minutes earlier in the week.
Fans who were lucky enough to get a ticket certainly received their money's worth.
Messi scored twice in regular time - including an 85th-minute equalizer direct from a free-kick - as Miami fought back from 3-1 and 4-2 down to draw 4-4, setting up a penalty shootout.
Miami won the shootout 5-3 to progress to a clash with FC Charlotte in the round of 16 later this week.
Lionel Messi produced the moment of the match by scoring an 85th-minute equalizer for Inter Miami away at FC Dallas
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Messi opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a low finish from the edge of the penalty area after being set up by former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba, who was making his first start for Miami.
Dallas hit back to lead at half-time thanks to two fine team goals finished off by Facundo Quignon and Bernard Kamungo.
Messi appeared to be heading towards his first defeat as a Miami player after Alan Velasco made it 3-1 to Dallas in the 63rd minute with a wide free-kick that evaded everyone to find the net from long-range.
But another Alba assist helped Benjamin Cremaschi score to give Miami hope moments later.
A sliding Robert Taylor then scored an own goal to restore Miami's two-goal deficit.
Taylor was likely feeling a little better in the 80th minute after Marco Farfan also scored at the wrong end.
Farfan's own goal was spectacular and a little ridiculous. With no Miami player within three yards of him, the Dallas defender bulleted a powerful header into the net following a cross from a Messi free-kick.
Miami's equalizer also came from a Messi free-kick. This time the Argentina legend opted to shoot, rather than cross, and he picked out the top corner brilliantly from 23 yards.
This was Messi's seventh goal in four matches for Miami.
With the game tied after a breathless 90 minutes of end-to-end play, penalties were needed to determine a winner.
Messi went first and scored. Sergio Busquets, Leonardo Campana, Kamal Miller and Cremaschi also converted their spot-kicks for Miami.
Paul Arriola, Facundo Quignon and Jesus Ferreira all scored for Dallas, but Paxton Pomykal missed the target, so Miami prevailed.
