A moment of brilliance from Lionel Messi secured Inter Miami their first-ever victory at the FIFA Club World Cup, as his spectacular late free-kick sealed a 2-1 comeback win over Portuguese side FC Porto on Thursday.
The goal marked a significant milestone for the 37-year-old Argentine, as it was his 50th for the MLS club.
Porto started strongly and took the lead after just eight minutes when Samu Aghehowa converted a penalty, squeezing the ball under Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. The Portuguese side could have extended their lead before halftime, with Francesco Moura having a shot cleared off the line and Alan Varela striking the post.
However, Inter Miami fought their way back into the contest. Telasco Segovia sparked the revival, powerfully finishing a cut-back pass from Marcelo Weigandt to level the score.
The decisive moment came late in the game. After firing a previous set-piece wide, Messi was presented with another free-kick opportunity from the edge of the penalty area. He executed it perfectly, curling the ball over the wall and beyond the reach of Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos for his 68th career goal from a direct free-kick.
The performance showcased that Messi can still deliver on the global stage against strong European opposition. His goal was his sixth in the history of the Club World Cup, moving him into joint-second place on the all-time scorers list alongside Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, just one goal behind leader Cristiano Ronaldo.
Veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets, a three-time winner of the competition, was also instrumental for Miami, delivering a dominant performance in midfield with a 94.5% pass completion rate.
The victory moves Inter Miami into second place in Group A with four points, level with group leaders Palmeiras of Brazil. Porto have one point and must win their final match to have any chance of advancing.
In the final round of group fixtures on Monday, Inter Miami will face Palmeiras in Florida, where a draw would be sufficient for both teams to progress to the knockout stages. Porto will travel to New Jersey to play Egyptian club Al Ahly.
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