Lionel Messi and Inter Miami continue to be the best show in sports.
Messi assisted on two goals in the second half, and Inter Miami defeated reigning MLS champion LAFC decisively with a 3-1 victory on Sunday night at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Messi didn’t score for the second straight game, and his third time in 11 games since joining Inter Miami. But he didn’t have to.
Messi’s left boot still delivered with two timely passes that provided fans and celebrities like Selena Gomez, Prince Harry, Leonardo DiCaprio and more with the graceful greatness they came to see.
Messi found his former FC Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba in the 51st minute, and youngster Leo Campana in the 83rd minute, while Facu Farias scored in the 18th minute as Inter Miami remains unbeaten in the Messi era.
“You know what Leo is, what he can give inside the pitch. He gets the best of everyone,” Campana said in his Apple TV postgame interview.
LAFC had a 22-9 edge in shots and six shots on goal, but could not find the back of the net until the 90th minute when Ryan Hollingshead’s header made the final score closer than this contest was.
Inter Miami is 10-1-0 (win-draw-loss) in 11 games since Messi joined. And Inter Miami is eight points behind ninth-place D.C. United in the MLS Eastern Conference playoff race.
“LAFC is a good team. We knew it was going to be difficult. We knew it was going to be hard … but once we scored the first one, we smelled a little bit of blood, then kept going from there,” Inter Miami’s DeAndre Yedlin said in his Apple TV postgame interview.
“It gives us a lot of confidence. It’s a great win for us, but the job is not finished yet. We’re going onto the next one.”
Messi will head to Argentina following the match to help the defending World Cup champions qualify again with two games this month.
Ryan Hollingshead goal: Inter Miami 3, LAFC 1
Too little, too late for LAFC.
Ryan Hollingshead scored a header on a set piece in the 90th minute, just before extra time and LAFC is on the board.
Inter Miami won’t secure the shutout in this one, but LAFC’s goal does make the match look closer than it was all night.
Leo Campana goal: Inter Miami 3, LAFC 0
The right pass. At the right time. And the Hollywood finish for Leo Messi and Inter Miami.
Messi tracked up the field with a head of steam and found Leo Campana streaking down the right side. Campana’s left strike found the back of the net and Inter Miami takes a 3-0 lead in the 83rd minute.
While Messi hasn’t scored in this one, he left his mark on LAFC with two assists.
Messi gets a look, but no assist: Inter Miami 2, LAFC 0
Messi had two looks near the net, but was unable to get a shot off.
Messi took a pass off the shoulder from Leo Campana in the 75th minute to set up a corner kick.
Three minutes earlier, Messi tracked down a pass over his head and waited for his Inter Miami teammates to join him. LAFC defenders were well in Messi’s way as he passed to Facu Farias, who…
Read More: Inter Miami vs. Los Angeles FC score, highlights 2023-09-04 04:18:45