FORT LAUDERDALE – Lionel Messi continues to impress with his goal-scoring abilities as he adapts to his new team. Messi scored in his third consecutive game and had another multi-goal performance for Inter Miami in a 3-1 victory over Orlando City on Wednesday night.
“Something I said early on when we started, with him the most difficult things have become easier,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said. “But we are talking about a player that at the highest level of competition scores 40 goals a season.”
The Leagues Cup Round of 32 match was delayed 95 minutes due to thunderstorms. Messi opened the scoring in the seventh minute and added another goal in the 72nd minute. Since his highly-anticipated MLS debut on July 21, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has now scored five goals in three games.
For his first goal, Messi received a pass from Robert Taylor, controlled it with his chest, dribbled near the edge of the 6-yard box, and fired a shot that went under the crossbar. This goal gave Inter Miami a 1-0 lead before Orlando equalized 11 minutes later. Messi struck again by receiving a pass from Josef Martinez and shooting with his right foot, putting Inter Miami ahead 3-1.
“It is not illogical to think that he has scored five goals in three matches,” Martino said. “Sometimes I feel we overdo it coming up with greater adjectives. It just comes down to talking about the best player in the world.”
Martino also emphasized that Messi’s second goal came from his right foot, highlighting his versatility as a player.
The victory propels Inter Miami to the tournament Round of 16 against Dallas FC. During the match, Messi had a scare when he collided with Orlando’s Mauricio Pereyra, but he was able to continue playing. He also received his first yellow card with Inter Miami for a hard foul in the 21st minute.
In addition, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba made his Inter Miami debut by entering the match in the 64th minute.
The game was delayed due to thunderstorms, forcing Messi and his teammates to go through warm-ups twice. Despite the challenging weather conditions, Messi has been performing exceptionally well in his first two Leagues Cup matches, scoring crucial goals for his team.
