FRISCO, Texas — Lionel Messi scored on one other mesmerizing free kick in his third consecutive two-goal game for Inter Miami, a tying tally that led to a 5-4 victory over FC Dallas on penalty kicks in a Leagues Cup elimination game Sunday night.
Messi’s goal within the eighty fifth minute was harking back to the game-winner in his Inter Miami debut, each on free kicks from just outside the penalty box within the waning moments and sneaking past the goalkeeper into the upper corner of the online.
This time, the left-footed superstar, was to the appropriate of the online, and beat FC Dallas’ Maarten Paes to the near post the identical way he did from the left side in a 2-1 win over Mexican club Cruz Azul in his Inter Miami debut.
The victory within the round of 16 sent Inter Miami into the Leagues Cup quarterfinals against the winner Monday night between Charlotte FC and Houston.
Messi’s first goal outside of Florida for his recent U.S. club was one other left-footed strike outside the penalty area within the sixth minute, on a pass from former FC Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba.
It was initially disallowed on an offsides call that was overturned on review.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion for Argentina has scored in all 4 matches for Inter Miami, with seven goals total.
FC Dallas had gone ahead 4-2 on Robert Taylor’s own goal within the 68th minute, but Dallas gave an own goal right back within the eightieth minute. Marco Farfan put a header into his own net on a cross from Messi on a free kick from outside the left corner of the penalty box.
Messi had the primary penalty kick with a slow-moving shot into the appropriate corner, and the difference was FC Dallas’ Paxton Pomykal missing over the crossbar on the second attempt. Benjamin Cremaschi, who scored within the sixty fifth minute, had the clincher as Miami finished with a 5-3 edge within the shootout.
Messi had several free kicks within the second half, with each attempt bringing everyone within the sellout crowd of 19,096 to their feet, most of them recording with cell phones.
Facundo Quignon and Bernard Kamungo scored in the primary half for FC Dallas to erase the 1-0 deficit from Messi’s early goal.
Alan Velasco, a native of Argentina who grew up idolizing Messi, made it 3-1 with a bouncing free kick that eluded several defenders and keeper Drake Callender for a 3-1 lead within the 63rd minute.
Two minutes later, Cremaschi pulled Inter Miami inside a goal to establish the wild finish.
The second of Messi’s three consecutive two-goal games got here in the primary Leagues Cup elimination game, a 3-1 Miami victory over Orlando City that was delayed by an hour and a half due to a torrential rainstorm in Florida.
The fifth match in Texas in Messi’s illustrious profession had a kickoff temperature of 100 degrees (38 degrees celsius) on the 14th consecutive day of triple-digit heat within the Dallas area.
Due to the high temperatures, teams took a heat break near the halfway point of every half.
