Last Updated: February 22, 2024, 12:00 IST
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi towards Real Salt Lake within the MLS (X/Screenshot)
Lionel Messi performed an element in each targets as Inter Miami beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 to open the twenty ninth season of Major League Soccer.
Lionel Messi was the star attraction because the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season received underway at Fort Lauderdale in Florida on Thursday.
The Argentine famous person, who received the 2023 Ballon d’Or not too long ago, arrange one purpose and had a hand in one other as Inter Miami defeated Real Salt Lake 2-0.
Fans although had been fast to level out Messi’s elegant ability when he dinked a ball, whereas dribling previous gamers, over a fallen defender who was appeared in ache due an damage.
The video rapidly went viral on social media.
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As for the sport itslef, Inter Miami dominated the primary half and broke by means of within the thirty ninth minute when Messi break up the defence to search out Robert Taylor, whose low shot regarded prefer it had been saved by Zac MacMath earlier than it spun out of his arms and into the online.
Salt Lake, who had been tentative within the first half, got here out energised after the break and started to show up the warmth on a Miami facet which spent the low season taking part in matches in Asia and the Middle East.
Miami survived the onslaught with the assistance of some clutch saves from goalkeeper Drake Callender and sealed the win when Messi mixed with former Barcelona group mate Luis Suarez to arrange Diego Gomez to make it 2-0 within the 83rd minute.
That purpose led to fireworks being shot off on the newly-named Chase Stadium because the twenty ninth MLS season kicked off with a win for Messi’s facet.
“I knew I was going to face tough competition (in MLS),” Luis Suarez stated by means of an interpreter after his first sport within the league.
“And Inter Miami, being one of the favourites for the title, we knew we were going to play always against full force.”
Messi had 11 targets in 14 whole matches with Inter Miami final season, main the group to a Leagues Cup championship — its first-ever trophy — shortly after he surprised a lot of the soccer world by signing a 2 1/2-year contract price round 150 million USD . He appeared in solely six MLS matches in 2023, scoring as soon as. Injuries slowed him late within the 2023 season and Inter Miami, which was manner out of the postseason image when Messi joined final summer season, didn’t make the MLS playoffs.
Miami will now journey to face Beckham’s former group LA Galaxy on Sunday in Carson, California.
(With places from Agencies)
Ritayan BasuRitayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been protecting home and and worldwide soccer for practically a decade. Has performed and c…Read More
Source: www.news18.com
