Two goals from Lionel Messi, even after a bit of controversy, sent Inter Miami to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals after beating LAFC 3-1 (3-2 on aggregate). After conceding early, Inter Miami were down 2-0 on aggregate but turned it around. Moments after putting a free kick in the back of the net only to see the ref disallow the goal, the Argentina legend scored an absolute golazo against Hugo Lloris, the goalkeeper he put two past in the 2022 World Cup final.
Noah Allen scored in the second half before a late penalty gave Inter Miami the chance to take the lead in the tie, with Messi taking it clinically in what was an epic comeback.
Here’s what to know:
The controversial moment
Messi took a free kick in the first half, and just as Lloris was setting up his wall, the ref walked away from the set-piece area, with Messi curling the ball into the far side of the goal. Lloris wasn’t ready, but Messi was, yet the ref didn’t appear to blow a whistle to signal for Messi to go ahead. However, the ref did point toward midfield after the shot, signaling a goal. He would change his mind about a minute later, making Messi redo the free kick, and it hit the wall.
Here’s the controversial moment:
That’s a tough one. I can see both sides of this — Messi, who looks set to remain with Inter Miami, saw the ref walk away and assumed he was good to go, and the ref was fine with it as he awarded the goal initially. Lloris was setting up his wall and was, as usual, waiting for a whistle for play to resume.
Messi’s golazo
Down 1-0 in this game and 2-0 on aggregate, Messi managed to get his team fully back in the tie just moments after the controversial play with this golazo into the upper-right side of the goal in the 35th minute:
Messi’s clinching goal
In the end, Inter Miami got the two goals they needed in the second half to hold on, the clincher being a penalty from Messi after a handball in the box, as Messi finished calmly into the right side of the goal.
Messi converted two penalty kicks against Lloris in the World Cup final, one in regulation and one in the shootout. Here’s his effort:
Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari came up big late for the Herons to hold on, and now Inter Miami will face the winner of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Pumas in the semis, putting themselves potentially 180 minutes from the biggest game in North American soccer.