After the brutal kick during the first leg, Lionel Messi played revenge against Nashville, he complied and was replaced due to discomfort in the back of his right leg. In the first half, he was fundamental in opening the scoring and expanded it with a goal of his own so that the Inter Miami continue advancing in the so-called Concachampionsthe Concacaf Champions Cup.
If everything goes well physically, next Monday Messi will travel to the city of Philadelphia, where the Argentine National Team will face in a friendly against The Savior. It will be in that first training session in which the AFA medical team evaluates the footballer. It is discounted that La Pulga will not travel to Washington next Saturdaywhere the Garzas will face the DC Unitedfor his fifth game in the MLS.
Just 20 minutes. Twenty and coins passed for you Messi once again be a key piece in the path that the team he commands Tata Martino transits with the aim of getting into the next Club World Cup, through the Champions Cup Concacaf. The obstacle that meant Nashville It was deactivated that quickly in the rematch of the series that began with 2-2 in the first leg.
At eight minutes it was the key to opening the scoring with a pure precision assist for Luis Suarez. A play from memory: the player from Rosario received from the left, controlled and touched with just enough force for the Uruguayan who was already running to beat the defender and finish in front of the goal with a subtle touch between the goalkeeper’s legs. In this way, the team Tata Martino began to carve the classification before their fans at Chase Stadium.
It was Messi himself who extended the advantage. At 23 minutes he commanded a play in the midfield, released and went to look for the finish in the center. The combination got dirty on the way, but The Herons They recovered possession thanks to the Paraguayan youth Diego Gomez, who got into the area and touched for the captain who, despite being left behind, stopped it and finished it without problems.
The goal confirms the best month of the year, or at least the most productive, for the world champion: Of the 826 goals of his career, 106 were in March. Already in the quarterfinals, now Inter Miami will face the winner of Monterrey – Cincinnati, which had the Mexican team as the winner in the first leg by 1 to 0. The winner of the competition will qualify for the next Club World Cup.
Shortly before the first half ended, Messi approached the bench while Martino gave heated instructions after a poor resolution in attack. Leo had not participated and looked for the coach to tell him something. After the end, he ran to the locker room without waiting for his teammates.
Minutes later he came out with his teammates to play the second half and just four minutes later he was replaced by Robert Taylor, who – after an assist from Suárez – scored the third with a header to ensure Inter Miami’s classification, now without the best on the field. Nashville scored in stoppage time, but Sam Surridge’s goal did not make the difference in the overall score that ended 5-3.
While he was on the court, it was almost 50 minutes, he did not deprive himself of anything: he made 36 touches and 24 of his 27 passes – 89 percent – were precise; He recorded a save, won three of the four heads-up matches he played and in addition to the goal and the assist, he generated a great chance that was not taken advantage of.
Statistics aside, what really interests the Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloniis that Messi arrives without problems for the upcoming friendlies, the last ones before the final list to defend the Copa América title.